This dissertation has bhen microfilmed exactly as received 68-3074

SrURHOCK, Çlizabeth Zapf, 1931- E.t IÂ-, li§i*FMANN: ENIMICAI, FORCE AND RELATED POWEI%8. { The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1967 Language and Literatt^e, modern

University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan ©Copyright by

Elizabeth Zapf Sturrock

1968 E. T. A. HOFFMANN: INIMICAL FORCE AND RELATED POWERS

DISSERTATION

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University

By

Elizabeth Zapf Sturrock, B.S., M.A.

The Ohio State University 1967

Approved by

Department of German ACKNOWLEDGMENT

My special thanks go to my adviser, Dr. Wolfgang Wittkowski , for his help, encouragement, and unflagging good humor, under what were frequently difficult circumstances, in the completion of this project, I appreciate also the advice and encouragement of my other friends who are members, or former members, of the faculty of the Department of German.

11 VITA

May 2, 1931 Born in Kent, Ohio

1953 B.S., Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

1953-1954 Teaching A ssistant, Department of Foreign Languages Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

1954 M.A., Kent State University

1954-1955 Fulbright Scholar, University of Wurzburg Wurzburg, Germany

1956-1959 Teaching A ssistant, Department of German The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

1959-1960 In stru cto r, Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware, Ohio

1961-1964 Instructor, Emory University Atlanta, Georgia

1965 to Present Instructor, Oglethorpe College A tlanta, Georgia

i 11 CONTENTS

Page

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ...... ü

VITA...... ill

Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION ...... 1

I I. ERROR: THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE INIMICAL FORCE. . . 38

I I I . THE IDEA OF PERSONAL FREEDOM: THE DEMONS WITHIN . 104

IV. THE REALM OF DARKNESS AND ITS INHABITANTS...... 124

V. THE THEME OF PRIDE AND PERSONAL ELEVATION...... 171

VI. THE THEME OF REDEMPTION...... 211

VII. THE UPPER REALM...... 230

V III. CONCLUSION...... 287

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY...... 290

IV CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Biographical Background

Julius Eduard Hitzig and C. F, Kunz, E. T. A. Hoffmann's friends and earliest biographers, both comment upon the fact that

Hoffmann believed in the existence of a dark power that affected his l if e , dashing his hopes and snatching away his dreams before they could become r e a l it ie s . Kunz c a lls Hoffmann one "who strived toward the highest purposes of intellectual development--and struggled, to a great extent, in vain, for from Hoffmann's birth until his death fate placed a vast stone in his path, as in that of so many other people, which, everywhere hindering his steps, confronted him and let him recognize at every turn his mistaken destiny."^ Hitzig reminds us that one of Hoffmann's favorite 2 sayings was: "Der Teufel muss auf Allés seinen Schwanz legen."

^ Z, Funck (C. F. Kunz), Aus dem Leben zweier D ichter: Ernst Theodor WiIhelm Hoffmann's und Friedrich Got11ob Wetzel's (Leipzig, 1836 ), p. 131 : "... der nach den hochsten Tendenzen intellektuel1er Entwicklung strebte,—und grossenthei1s vergebens rang, wei1 von Hoffmanns Geburt an, bis zu seinem Ende, das Schicksal ihm, wie so vielen Andern, einen gewaltigen Stein in den Weg legte, der ihm, liberal 1 seine Schritte hemmend, entgegen- tra t und ihn seine verfehlte Bestimmung, wo er sich hinwandte, erkennen liess." 2 Julius Eduard Hitzig, Aus Hoffmann's Leben und Nachlass (B erlin, I 823), I I , 311. 2

Another favorite was: "Mein Reich ist nicht von dieser Welt,"

Judging from these sayings alone, one is able to imagine a person who has suffered many disappointments and is uncomfortable in his surroundings—a logical candidate for one who would harbor a belief in an inimical force, A brief resume of the most im­ portant facts of Hoffmann's biography suffices to make his belief quite understandable, 3 Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann‘S was born on January 24,

1776, in Konigsberg, After an unhappy marriage, his parents separated when he was only two years old. His older brother Karl remained with the father, Christoph Ludwig Hoffmann, while young

Ernst Theodor went with his mother, Luise Alberti ne Hoffmann, nee

Doerffer, to live with his maternal grandmother, a widow who lived

in almost complete seclusion, Hoffmann's mother took little interest in her son, and he was brought up chiefly by her older brother, Otto Wilhelm Doerffer, a pedantic middle-aged bachelor who showed little understanding for the boy, but did in still in him the beginnings of his love for music, which was to be a source of solace and pleasure throughout his life. Hoffmann was of small stature and rather ugly in appearance. Although he showed early

talent for music, drawing, and writing, his family insisted that he study law, as was traditional in the Doerffer family, although he had no interest in it,

^ Hoffmann retained the initials "E, T, W," for use in connection with his legal career. For use regarding his artistic efforts, he preferred "E, T, A,," the "A," standing for "Amadeus" in honor of Mozart, whom he revered especially. 3

Before he was twenty, Hoffmann fell in love with a young woman who had been a friend of his family for many years—Johanna

Dorothea Hatt, nee Schlunck, whom he instructed in music. Although she returned his love, and indeed probably instigated the affair, the difference in their ages (more than nine years) and the fact that she was still married, although unhappily, proved to be too great obstacles. In 1796 he fled to Glogau, where he lived with the family of another uncle, Johann Ludwig Doerffer, who was a lawyer in the service of the Prussian government. When in 1798 the uncle was transferred to Berlin, Hoffmann accompanied the family.

In Berlin Hoffmann passed his final legal examination, the

AssessorprUfung, and was appointed to the office of Chancellor in the Supreme Court of Posen in Prussia's newly acquired Polish provinces. Already in Glogau Hoffmann had become engaged to his cousin, Minna Doerffer, but now he extricated himself from what he described as "a relatio n sh ip . . . which would have made her and me unhappy."^ His talent at caricature, sarcastically and indiscretely used, caused his d iscip lin ary removal from Posen to Plock, a forsaken

Polish town of 3,000 inhabitants. Before his final departure for

Plock in 1802, he married a young Polish g i r l , Maria Tekla Michalina

^ Hans von Muller, Die erste Liebe des Ernst Theodor Hoffmann. Mi t ei ni gen Nachrichten uber die Fami1i en Schlunck und Flottwel 1 , Hatt und Siebrandt nach den Q,uel len dargestel It (Heidelberg, 1955), p. 32.

^ 1* Hoffmann, Dichtungen und Schriften sowie Briefe und Taqebücher, ed. Walther Harich (Weimar, 1924), XIV, 161: " . . . ein Verbaltnis . . . , welches sie und mich unglUcklich gemacht haben wUrde." Citations from Hoffmann in my text refer to this edition, unless otherwise stated. 4

Rohrer (Mischa), a warm, simple girl without financial means, but of exceptional beauty, who remained his devoted companion until his death.

In 1804 Hoffmann was transferred to Warsaw, where he fille d his free hours with composing, painting, writing, and in the company of the new friends he made there. In Warsaw he came into contact with the Romantic Movement of Literature for the first time and felt much drawn to it. When Napoleon's troops took possession of Warsaw and Hoffmann was relieved of his position, as were all his German colleagues, he remained in the city as director of the Warsaw

Musical Academy, delighted to be rid of a post that had brought him no sa tisfa c tio n , and full of hope for a future devoted to music and the other arts. His ever increasing poverty forced him to send his wife, their only child, Cacilie (born in July, I 805), and Mischa's niece, who had been living with them for some time, to Mischa's family in Posen. After a serious illness, Hoffmann returned to

Berlin, completely without funds, where he heard of Cacilie's death and the grave illness of Mischa. Eventually Hoffmann was offered the position of music director at the theater in Bamberg and moved there with Mischa in I 8O8 .

Hoffmann was poorly received by the Bamberg audience and soon substituted for his original position that of theater composer. He supplemented his small salary by giving music lessons, sellin g sheet music, painting, constructing scenery for the theater, and writing.

Most of his students were without ta le n t, which caused him much annoyance, but in one of them, a gifted young singer named Julia Mark, 5 he recognized the great love of his life, who dominated his thoughts during the Bamberg years and influenced his literary works more than any other person. Although Julia loved and respected Hoffmann as a teacher and friend, she did not fully realize the depth of his devo­ tion and the great part she played in his life. Again Hoffmann's love was hopeless--he was married and Julia was young enough to be his daughter. A few months after Julia's marriage to a well-to-do young merchant in December of 1812, Hoffmann left Bamberg to accept a position as orchestra leader with a theater that performed for alternating periods in Leipzig and Dresden. Plagued by poverty, ill health, danger from the war which was being fought all around him, unhappiness regarding the loss of Julia, and personality conflicts with his employer, Hoffmann longed more and more to return to the

"safe harbor"^ of civil service, and through the untiring efforts of

Theodor von Hippel, his oldest and dearest friend, now in a position of influence in the government, he was reinstated in 1814 in a govern­ ment post in B erlin, where he lived until his death in 1822. During his last months he was bedfast and lived in fear of being removed from his post in Berlin and sent again to the provinces as a result of disciplinary action, threatened again because of his indiscrete criti­ cism of a government o ffic ia l in one of his works. He died penniless and in debt; his friends provided his tombstone.

Hoffmann was burdened all his life by ill health and lack of funds, forced to work at a profession he d islik ed , and thwarted in

^ Ib id ., XV, 146: "... sichern Port . . ." 6

winning his great love, even though his marriage apparently was not

unhappy, contrary to Klinke's somewhat sardonic comment.^ His

yearning to visit Italy remained unfulfilled. Although he felt his

strongest talents to be in the field of music, his compositions are

p ractically forgotten, and even the work which enjoyed considerable

success during his lifetime, the opera "Undine," was soon replaced in

public favor by Albert Lortzing's work of the same name. Only his

literary works, most of them written solely as a quick way to earn money, have kept his name alive. Throughout his adult life, Hoffmann

became increasingly dependent upon alcohol, and the spectre of insanity

haunted him. Under the circumstances, one does not wonder that

Hoffmann believed in an imical force that rules men's lives, and one can only marvel at the fact that Hoffmann was able to produce such a variety of works in music, a r t , and lite ra tu re , many of them of a basically humorous nature. Surely one of the chief factors con­ tributing to his productive ability is the fact that Hoffmann did not overlook the p o ssib ility of other universal powers which also in­ fluence human lives, working at least partially in opposition to the

inimical force. In addition, Hoffmann was, in spite of everything, ever in possession of a keen sense of humor, which helped balance, though sometimes in the form of sharp irony, the numerous unfortunate aspects of his life.

^ Otto Klinke, E. T. A. Hoffmanns Leben und Werke yom Stand- punkte eines Irrenarztes (2nd ed.; Halle a. S ., 1908), p. 142: "Wie weit Oder wie wenig sich der Dichter von seiner Frau in seinem kUnstlerischen und poetischen Schaffen verstanden sah, dariiber hat er ausser . . . indirekten Andeutungen nie etwas ausgesagt, ich mochte aber glauben, dass auch die b itte re Ironie in der Liebe des Nathanael zu einer Puppe ["Der Sandmann"] v ie lle ic h t doch nicht ganz ohne ein wirkliches, personliches Erlebnis erzahlt ist." 7

Hoffmann mentioned the inimical force as early as December 10,

1803, in a letter from Plock to Hippel:

Du kannst mir j e tz t nicht helfen, das is t sehr schlimm— es gehort zu den Streichen des bosen Genius, der mich verfoigt, seit ich aus Berlin bin. . . . Wie, wenn ein Genius erschiene und loste die Ketten, welche uns an unser erbarmliches Alltagsleben fesseln (am Ende sind diese Ketten vielleicht nur das Spiel unserer Einbi1 dung?)-- was taten wir?

Already here, Hoffmann, living against his will among the joyless

surroundings of Plock, felt trapped by negative forces. Although he recognized that the "Genius" might be positive as well, and able to

release him from his hated circumstances, still as far as he was concerned, the malicious spirit was actual ("the evil Genius, who

persecutes me"), while the positive one existed only as a pleasant daydream ("How would i t be if a Genius were to appear. . . ." ).

In a le tte r to Hippel from Warsaw (March 6, I 8O6 ), Hoffmann wrote with somewhat optimistic resignation, already indicating the ambivalent nature inherent in his conception of a higher power:

Je alter ich werde, mein Freund, desto bestimmter entwickelt sich mein Selbst dazu, wozu es das hohere Walten, wogegen der Mensch vergebens mit seinen kleinlichen Ab- und Einsichten einzugreifen wagt, bestimmt hatte. . . . Du, mein Freund, b ist meine einzige Hoffnung, indem ich des festen Glaubens lebe, dass die hohere Macht . . . sich des schonsten womit sie den Sterblichen beglUckt, namlich der Freundschaft, als Mittel bedienen wird, mich zu erlosen von dem Ubel, das mich mit eisernen schmerzhaften Banden umstrickt und festhalt I

It was the long-planned trip with Hippel, which never materialized, that

Hoffmann hoped would rescue him, at least tem porarily, from the pro­ fession he found so distasteful. However, it was Napoleon's capture of Warsaw which accomplished this end, and Hoffmann greeted with relief what his colleagues considered a catastrophe. Despite his 8 absolute poverty while living in Berlin (1807-1800), he did not lose sight of his fortune in misfortune. Confident that his new life in

Bamberg, dedicated to music, would succeed, he wrote Hippel; "Du siehst . . , , dass ich nun mein Schicksal preise, welches mich mit einem Ruck dahin v ersetzt, wohin mich schon 1 angst meine ganze

Neigung trieb." His fate had, to be sure, plunged him into the direst financial and emotional difficulties, but at the same time offered hope of a promising future. His optimism remained firm, even after he failed to satisfy the Bamberg public as orchestra director. In a letter dated December 23, 1008, he reported to

Hippel: "Nun fUhle ich aber erst recht, wie durchaus nicht fur mich die friihere Carrière war, und wie wohl mir das KUnst 1er leben tut. . . ."

Hoffmann's hopes for a satisfying and successful musical career were soon disappointed, and, added to his continued financial struggles, new worries appeared recorded in his diaries--the fear of Q insanity and his hopeless love for Julia. The entries for January 9 and February 5, 1012, are completely fatalistic, unmodified by a single ray of optimism: "Das Verderben schwebt Uber mir und ich kanns nicht vermeiden" and "Betrachtungen Uber das Selbst--dem der Untergang droht—es ist etwas ungewohnliches noch nicht erlebtes." Upon learning that Julia would probably marry the young merchant Georg

Groepel, Hoffmann sublimated his disappointment in the thought that

p Dichtungen, XIV, 321 f.: gespannt bis zu Ideen des Wahnsinns die mir oft kommen. Warum denke ich schlafend oder wachend so oft an den Wahnsinn?" Q her loss would further his literary career, an idea that he later used over and over: the a r t i s t must not seek to win his beloved

Ideal physically, for this familiarity renders her unfit to con­ tinue to serve as his inspiration; rather he must retain her image untarnished, firmly existing on an elevated plane, thus assuring his eternal possession of her as an intellectual Ideal. Still

Hoffmann could not immediately believe completely in the positive aspects of th is theme which he had set up and continued to feel

J u lia 's impending loss b itte r ly . On July 16, 1812 , he reported in his diary of a conversation in the Mark household: ", . . exotisches

Gesprach--beinahe zu viel verraten—toi le Streiche die zum Verderben fUhren das mir denn doch am Ende unvermeidlich droht. . . He continued with a wish for death in order to escape from an in­ tolerable situation. Again on July 23 he foresaw in his diary his ruin ("mein Verderbon").

Three months after leaving Bamberg, Hoffmann's bitterness was still much in evidence in a letter to a Bamberg friend. Dr,

Friedrich Speyer (July 13, 1813 ): "Erinnern Sie Sich nur lebhaft an mein Leben in Bamberg vom ersten Augenblicke meiner Ankunft, und Sie warden gestehen, dass alias wie eine feindliche damonische Kraft w irkte, mich von der . . . Kunst, der ich nun einmal mein ganzes

Dasein . . . geweiht habe, gewaltsam wegzureissen."

By the following year, Hoffmann had given up all hope of earning a living through music, writing his friend Hippel, who was

^ Dichtungen, XIV, 349. 10

trying to find him a suitable post in Berlin, how he had been "vom bosen Schicksal bis jetzt recht herum getrieben" (July 27, I8l4), and expressing his thanks in advance to Hippel "wenn Du mich endlich

in sichern Port bringst" (August 20, I8l4), which point of view

regarding his legal career differs considerably from that which he held before his Bamberg years. There is little evidence to support

the statement of Richard Benz: "Die Bamberger Zeit ist ohne Zweifel die glUcklichste in Hoffmanns Leben. . . As late as 1820

Hoffmann recalled with distress, in a letter to Speyer dated May 1, his years in Bamberg: "Legte mir aber auch damais das Schicksal solch harte Priifungen auf, dass ich noch nicht begreife, wie ich sie

Uberstanden , . . so ist doch bald darauf, ich mochte sagen, in dem

Augenblick als ich den Fuss in Berlin hineingesetzt, die Versohnung erfolgt mit all den feindlichen Machten, die mich zu Tode hetzen wollten?' But despite this conciliatory comment, the inimical force was by no means inactive in Berlin either, to Hoffmann's way of thinking, as we can see from his letter to Hippel dated November 1,

1814, concerning his position, which—despite Hippel's best efforts— did not meet with his entire approval: "Dass Deine BemUhungen keinen gllicklichen Erfolg hatten, daran ist die feindliche materia peccans

Schuld, die durch mein Leben schleicht, und recht verderblich schon manche frohe Hoffnung weggezehrt hat," His letter to Hippel dated

December 15, 1817, shows considerably more resignation to his fate:

"Mir geht es so ziemlich, ja sogar behaglich, da ich mich daran

Richard Benz, Die deutsche Romantik (Leipzig, 1937), p. 342, 11 gewohnt, aus knapp beschrankten Verbaltnissen m’emals heraus- zukommen," On January 27, 1819, in a le tte r to Hippel, he blames

"ein boses Verhangnis" for preventing him and Hippel from being able to live in closer propinquity.

The above examples are only a sampling of the references in

Hoffmann's letters and diaries to the inimical force, which appears, of course, under such varying names as "der bose Genius," "feindliche damonische Kraft," "das bose Schicksal," "das dunkle Verhangnis,"

"ein finstrer Damon," etc., the same expressions he uses in his lite ra ry works as w ell. Almost all of his works do mention an inimical force in some connection or another, which is certainly a strong indication of the importance this theme had in his thoughts.

There are, of course, other themes to be found recurring in various forms in his lite ra ry works, all of them based upon conditions and events in his own lif e . Some of the most important are the idea of the artist's love (Idealbild), already mentioned in some detail above, the difficulty of integrating the artistic with the practical, the love of and longing for Italy as the home of beauty and art, the problems of insanity, illness, and ugliness of person, and the rejection of rationalism as a philosophy of life. All these ideas are interrelated and overlap to some extent. In keeping with his nature as a musician, Hoffmann did not t ir e of composing variations on these themes in his literary works, developing them in different ways, but leaving nearly always recognizable the leitmotiv of the inimical force, winding inextricably through the situations his fantasy created. 12

Philosophical Background for Hoffmann's Theological Thinking

Hoffmann spent his youth amid Protestant surroundings, but

was attracted by the pageantry, color, and especially the music of the

Catholic Church. Hoffmann's wife was Roman Catholic, and they were

married in a Catholic ceremony. Although Hoffmann composed a number

of musical works for the Catholic service, helped decorate the Jesuit

Church in Glogau, and frequently sang in the choir while he lived in

Bamberg, he did not consider a personal conversion, as far as is

known. When in his works the organized Church plays a ro le , i t is

invariably the Catholic Church which is meant, with its relativ ely

clear-cut opposition of God and Satan.

Where the church plays no specific role, or a subordinate

one, the boundaries between good and evil become less clear. Forces

which may not ordinarily be considered in trin sic a lly evil assume an

inimical character, and those powers which are called upon to combat

them take on an aura of goodness, whether or not this characteristic

is inherently present, objectively speaking. Thus one type of

character or situation may appear to be negative in one work, posi­

tive in another, and a mixture in a third. For example, the sensitive

artist-hero is almost a saint in "Der Kampf der Sanger," a murderer in

"Das Frau 1ein von Scuderi ," and rather an ordinary fellow, with

typically human faults and virtues in "Der Artushof." Similarly, the

state of marriage may be depicted as being idyllic ("Prinzassin

Brambilla," "Klein Zaches"), problematical ("Abenteuer der Silvester-

Nacht," "Datura fastuosa," "Das Majorat"), or destructive ("Die

Jesuiterkirche in G.," "Spielergliick"). Many other examples could be 13 mentioned. At times the boundaries between ordinarily positive and negative forces become so confused that we find that a complete reversal seems to have taken place. A monk, whom one generally ex­ pects to be virtuous, attempts to gain converts for his order by blackmailing them for sins he has caused them to commit ("Datura fastuosa"); insanity is considered to be a desirable condition, at least in some cases ("Serapion"); a student falls in love with a mechanical doll which he believes to be human but accuses his child­ hood sweetheart of behaving like an automaton ("Sandmann"); and a mystical union is described between a believer and a snake, a trad itio n al symbol of e v il, but which in th is work ("Der goldne Topf") appears as a positive character. In this last work, another snake is a personification of e v il, and an "evil dragon" as well as a "good dragon" (in the form of the salamander Lindhorst) also appear, a further indication of the overlapping and flowing together of the boundaries, even in the same work.

To complicate further the problem of boundaries almost to the extent of their eradication is the fact that that which is con­ sidered to be basically good in any given situation so often contains elements of e v il, and vice versa. While the lim ited concept of a beneficent God and an inimical Devil are plainly the basis of

Hoffmann's philosophy of good and evil, they are not enough. For cannot that which is "good" in one observer's eyes be "bad" in another's? Who is to say which observer is right, especially when

"good" and "bad" are inclined to be relative and subjective at best.

Confronted by th is dilemma, Hoffmann, who seemed to be seeking the 14 comforting stability of a completely impartial power, incorporated into his conception of the eternal force the dynamic "Weltgeist," the encompassing life breath of the universe, activating and interwoven with the beneficent and inimical forces as well as all of nature, including man. This aspect of the eternal force, embracing, as it does, evil as well as good, has been largely neglected by Hoffmann scholars, who emphasize only the positive aspect of the eternal force, equating it with an essentially benevolent, traditional God, with no connection to Hoffmann's inimical force. Indeed, this appears to be the case much of the time, Werner does not distinguish between the two, but links fate with the inimical fo rce,w h ile Hewett-Thayer suggests that perhaps Hoffmann avoided using the word "God" because of the

"theological accretions" associated with it, but nevertheless is emphatic in his separation of the eternal force from the inimical one:

"But despite the intensity with which he portrayed the power of evil, there is no question whatever of his belief in a Divine Power which 12 13 is superior to evil," a view shared by von Schenck,

^ ^ Hans-Georg Werner, T. A. Hoffmann; Darstellung und Deutung der W irklichkeit im dichterischen Werk (Weimar, lj6 2 ), pp, 11, FÏ1 12 Harvey W, Hewett-Thayer, Hoffmann: Author of the Tales (Princeton, 1948), p, 128,

^^ Ernst von Schenck, E, T, A, Hoffmann; Ein Kampf um das Bild des Menschen (Berlin, 19397, p, xiv. 15

Yet Hoffmann himself is somewhat less specific concerning

these forces. Sometimes fate is kind, sometimes it is c ru e l, a

situation expressed by Hoffmann and already quoted above in letters

to Hippel (spring of 1808) and to Speyer (July 13, I8I3 ). The good

as well as the evil look to the eternal force, under one or another

of its names, for a id , which may or may not be granted, frequently without regard for what is commonly held as virtue or lack of it in

the petitioner. Thus Hoffmann's eternal force-Weltgeist frequently

bears a strong resemblance to the supreme being described by Jakob

Boehme;

For it cannot be said of God that He is th is or th a t, evil or good, or that He has distinctions in Himself. For He is in Himself natureless, passionless, and creatureless. He has no tendency to anything, for there is nothing before Him to which He could tend, neither evil nor good. . . . There is no quality or pain in Him . . . [He] is a single will in which the world and the whole creation lie s . . . He is neither light nor darkness, neither love nor wrath, but the Eternal One.

Although Hoffmann is not known to have read Boehme, i t is

certainly possible that he did,^^ particularly since Boehme is men­

tioned by G. H. von S c h u b e rt,w h o s e enormous influence on Hoffmann

is generally recognized. Joseph von Schelling's philosophy is also

111 Jakob Boehme, "Mon der GnadenwahlTheosophia Revelata, ed. Johann Wilhelm Ueberfeld (1730), i , 3, quoted in John Joseph Stoudt, Sunrise to Eternity (Philadelphia, 1957), p. 203.

^ ^ Max Pirker, "Rezension von Sucher, Les sources du mervei1leux chez E. T. A, Hoffmann," Euphorion, xx (1913), 273* Pirker believes that Hoffmann's mythology, especially in "Der goldne Topf," is indebted to Boehme. Cf, von Schenck (Kampf, I 7 I, 446, 645), who sees Boehme's influence in "Meister Floh" and "Prinzessin Brambilla" and elements of mysticism in "Ritter Gluck."

G. H. von Schubert, Die Symbolik des Traumes (3d ed.; Leipzig, 1840), p. 206. 16

Indebted to a considerable extent to Boehme,and Hoffmann is known to have read some of Schelling's early works as early as 1813, before Hoffmann's major works were w ritten. M’uhlher^^ and von Mliller^^ believe that Hoffmann may have absorbed Boehmean ideas via Louis

Claude de Saint-M artin, whose main works were ju st appearing in German translation in 1811 and 1812, but again there is no definite proof.

Even if it is assumed that Hoffmann did not have direct contact with the works of Boehme, Schelling's notion of the source of good and evil is so similar to Boehme's, that it is not surprising that

Hoffmann's eternal force, even if based solely on Schelling's con­ ception, bears a marked resemblance to Boehme's idea, 20 According to Schelling God has in himself the basis of his existence ("Grund"), since there is nothing before or besides God.

This "Grund" should not be thought of as preceding God in time or priority. It is inseparable but distinct from God and corresponds

Paul Tillich, "Preface," in Stoudt, Sunrise, p. 7. 18 Robert Muhlher, "Leitmotiv und dialektischer Mythos in E. T. A. Hoffmanns Marchen 'Der goldne T opf,'" M ittei1 ungen der T. A. Hoffmann-Gesel Ischaft (1938-1940), p. 76 . 19 Hans von Muller, Das kunst1erische Schaffen E. T. A, Hoffmanns in Umrissen angedeutet (Leipzig, 1926), p. 29. 20 Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling, "Phi 1osophische Untersuchungen Uber das Wesen der menschlichen Freiheit und die uamit zusammenhangencfen Gegenstande," Schel1ings Werke, ed. Manfred Schroter (München, 1927), Hauptband IV, 249 f . cTtations from Schelling in my text refer to this edition, unless otherwise stated. 17

generally to Boehme's "Ungrund," although Boehme does assume that the

"Ungrund" is the original part of God's nature, chronologically

speaking. This basis is characterized in both theories by darkness

and unconscious craving to become something, and in Boehme's thinking,

by the fire of God's wrath, which Boehme equal . with the foundation 21 of hell. Although not in itself evil, this basis is the negative

aspect of God, who is Himself the source of goodness, truth, light, 22 and love. Schubert's concept of the Divine Being also emphasizes 23 truth, light, and love. Boehme and Schelling regarded evil as

being necessary for the recognition and appreciation of good:

The One, as the Yes, is pure power and l i f e , and is the truth of God, or God Himself, He would in Himself be unknowable, and in Him would be no joy of elevation, nor feeling, without the No. The No is the counterstroke of the Yes, or the Truth, in order that the Truth may be manifest and a something, . . . (Boehme, "Von 177 Theosophischen Frayen," iii, 2, quoted in Stoudt, Sun­ r i s e , p. 205)

Denn jedes Wesen kann nur in seinem Gegentheil offenbar werden, Liebe nur in Hass, Einheit in Streit. Ware keine Zertrennung der Principien, so konnte die Einheit ihre Allmacht nicht erweisen; ware nicht Zwietracht, so konnte die Liebe nicht wirklich werden. . . . Es muss daher ein allgemeiner Grund der Sollicitation, der Versuchung zum Bosen seyn, ware es auch nur, um die beiden Principien in ihm [im Menschen] lebendig, d.h. um ihn ihrer bewusst zu machen. (Schel lin g , ''Menschl iche F re ih e it," Werke, Hauptband IV, 265 f .)

21 Boehme, "Theos. Frag.," iii, 6 f . in Stoudt, Sunrise, p. 212. 22 Schelling, "Menschliche F re ih e it," Werke, Hauptband IV, 267 f f . 23 Schubert, Traum, pp. 14], 205, et passim. 24 In the same work Schelling carries this idea further, actually making the "Grund" and i ts a ctiv ity responsible for sus­ taining life; "Die aktivierte Selbstheit ist nothwendig zur Scharfe 18 25 Man, too, has the capacity for good and evil within himself. How­ ever, unlike God, who is able to coordinate the two possibilities into a harmonious whole, man is constantly at odds with himself, torn between his good and evil tendencies. According to Schelling, active solicitation of man's negative tendencies is made by "the dark prin­ ciple of selfishness and willfulness" ("das finstre Prinzip der

Selbstheit und des Eigenwiliens," "Menschliche Freiheit," Werke,

Hauptband IV, 281) whenever man is acting positively ( i. e . being

"good") while his better tendencies are solicited by the God of love 26 when he is acting negatively (i, e, being "bad"). Schubert ex­ presses the same idea when he describes man going through life in company with a "good angel" and a "bad angel" who vie for his attention, although according to Schubert and Boehme, that spirit which receives man's attention grows stronger and makes man less likely to be swayed in the opposite d irectio n , which is quite the 27 reverse of Schelling's solicitation theory. (Hoffmann's use of this theme will be taken up in the section dealing with the ambivalent des Lebensj ohne sie ware volliger Tod, ein Einschlummern des Guten; denn wo nicht Kampf i s t , da is t nicht Leben. Nur die Erweckung des Lebens also ist der Wille des Grundes, nicht das Bose unmittelbar und an sich" (p. 292). Cf. Boehme: "And yet it cannot be said that Yes is separated from the No, and that they are two things. . . . Without these two, which are in perpetual c o n flic t, all things would stand still without movement" ("Theos. Frag." iii, 3-5, quoted in Stoudt, Sunrise, p. 209).

Sche]ling, "Menschliche F re ih e it," Werke, Hauptband IV, 255» Boehme, "Von den drei Principien Gottiichen Wesens" x, 14, quoted in Stoudt, Sunri se, p. 2/6. 26 Cf. Boehme, "Princ." xxi, 20, quoted in Stoudt, p. 2/8.

Schubert, Traum, pp. 83-90; Boehme, "Princ." vii, 2, quoted in Stoudt, 2/8. 19 hero.) All three philosophers insist, however, that man is free to act as he sees fit, for good or evil, but all three see as the primary cause for evil in man his self-will, selfishness, and desire to rise above the human lot and share in or even supersede the prerogative of the Divine. Thus Boehme: "[Adam] brought his will and desire from

God into selfhood and vanity; and broke himself off from God, from 28 his divine harmony," Compare Schelling: "Die allgemeine Moglich- keit des Bosen besteht . . . darin, dass der Mensch seine Selbstheit, anstatt sie zur Basis, zum Organ zu machen, vielmehr zum Herrschenden und zum Allwillen zu erheben, dagegen das Geistige in sich zum Mittel zu machen streben kann" ("Menschliche F re ih e it," Werke , Hauptband IV,

281). Schubert calls pride and selfishness "jene Wurzel allés

Übels," (Traum, p. 216) and warns, as does Boehme, that these are destructive passions, for they cause man to attempt to elevate himself without regard to others or to natural laws and lead to further 29 estrangement from God, particularly if one attempts to attain personal elevation with the help of the dark principle.

This course of action is, however, dangerous and ultimately futile, for the dark principle is a "reverse God" ("der umgekehrte

Gott]' "Menschl iche F re ih e it," p. 282) and is not an outgoing,

28 Boehme, "Erklarung Uber das Erste Buch Mosis" xix, 3, quoted in Stoudt, p. 266. 29 Schubert, Traum, p. 219; Boehme, "Bedenken Uber Esaias Stiefels Buchlein," 84, quoted in Stoudt, p. 204. 20

creative force as is the God of love, but is limited to introspection

(Boehme, "Theos. Frag." i i i , 10, 11, quoted in Stoudt, p. 210), and a

vain desire to change from a potential into a being (Schelling,

"Menschliche Freiheit," p. 282^^),

So iSt denn der Anfang der SUnde, dass der Mensch aus dem eigentlichen Seyn in das Nichtseyn, aus der Wahrheit in die Luge, aus dem Licht in die Finsterniss Ubertritt, um selbst schaffender Grund zu warden, und mit der Macht des C entri, das er in sich h at, über a ile Oinge zu herrschen. Denn es bleibt auch dem aus dem Centro gewichenen immer noch das Geflihl, dass er a lle Oinge gewesen i s t , namlich in und mit Gottj darum strebt er wieder dahin, aber fur sich, nicht wo er es seyn konnte, namlich in Gott. (Schelling, "Menschliche Freiheit," p. 282j

Boehme and Schubert also stressed the falseness of this dark 31 "reverse God" or "Prince of the world of fantasy." These elements of desire for unnatural elevation, the confusion between truth and falseness, as well as the substitution of profane for godly love

(another favorite subject also of Boehme and Schubert) and the resulting catastrophe, are combined in a concentrated form by

Hoffmann in the work "Die Jesuiterkirche in G." The entire essence of the tragedy is expressed by the artist-hero Berthold:

Aber Herr l--wenn man nach dem Hochsten streb t--n ich t Fleischeslust, wie Titian—nein das Hochste der gott- lichen Natur, der Prometheusfunken im Menschen—Harris­ es ist eine K1ippe--ein schmaler Strich, auf dem man ste h t—der Abgrund ist of fen [—liber ihm schwebt der

30 Cf. Boehme, "Vom Dreyfachen Leben des Menschen" v, 18 and viii, 23, quoted in Stoudt, p. 2^5; Boehme, "Princ." viii, 9, quoted in Stoudt, pp. 248 f . 31 Boehme, "Von der Geburt und Bezeichnung a lle r Wesen" x v i, 15, quoted in Stoudt, 246; Schubert, Traum, pp. 172 f . 21

klihne Segler, und ein teufHscher Trug lasst ihn unten-- unten d a s erblicken, was er oben Uber den Sternen erschauen wolltel (Dichtunqen, VIII, 50.)

These points will be discussed in greater detail in the sections

dealing with the role of error and personal elevation.

The idea of the over-developed self-will is an important aspect in Hoffmann's works, where it is frequently defined as a desire to determine the destiny of others as well, to usurp the role of the Divine and assume a godlike character. This desire is

particularly dangerous, for it may easily become a double trans- gression--a violation of the intention of the Divine as well as the will of the victim, who is thereby deprived of his own freedom.

Nature holds a special place of importance for Boehme,

Schelling, and Schubert, all of whom consider it an important physical 32 manifestation of the Divine, operating under inviolable, impartial

laws, and animated by a divine world soul (Weltseele), which serves 33 as a bond between all living things and God. Although Schubert

Stoudt, p. 84. Regarding Boehme: "Nature was for him God's body; He was the all in A ll; reading n ature's mystery gave knowledge of God." Schelling, "Von der Weltseele, eine Hypothese der hoheren Physik zur Erklarung des allgemeinen Organismus," Werke, Hauptband I, 446: "Die Natur ist nicht bloss Produkt einer unbegreiflichen Schopfung, sondern diese Schopfung selbst; nicht nur die Erscheinung oder Offen- barung des Ewigen, vielmehr zugleich eben dieses Ewige se lb st," Schubert, Traum, 230 f, Schubert calls nature "eine Sprache, ein Akt der Liebe des Gottiichen zu dem Menschen. . . ," 33 Boehme, "Vierzig Fragen von der Seele" iii, 4, and "Drey- facW'ii, 5, quoted in Stoudt, p. 275» Schelling "Weltseele," Werke, Hauptband I , 637» and "Philosophie der Kunst," Werke, Hauptband I II , 451; Schubert, Traum, pp. 123, 145-147. 22 warns against mistaking nature for God (Traum, p. Ill), Hoffmann frequently does equate the Boehme-Schel1ing-Schubert concept of divinely inspired Nature with an aspect of the eternal force in the form of a mysterious goddess, both cruel and kind, who guards her secrets jealously and punishes the curious humans who attempt to spy on her. Plainly th is punishment by Nature of these spies is a variation of the three philosophers' concept of what Schelling calls

"libermut" on the part of man--the attempt of man to equate himself, by his self-will, with the Divine, and the resulting punishment, following the pattern of Lucifer, Prometheus, and Adam,

Defining the Inimical Force

Reality as an Inimical Force

The difficulty of defining Hoffmann's inimical force is reflected in the diversity of suggestions made by Hoffmann scholars, when, indeed, any attempt at definition is made at all. Perhaps the most widely recognized manifestation of the inimical force is reality. o il Similar to Dahmen, Werner recognizes Hoffmann's dependence 35 upon Schubert for his basic notions of good and evil, but also

Hoffmann's fear of harmful supernatural spirits (Werner, p. 119).

Werner considers, however, reality the incomparably more important

Hans Dahmen, "E. Th, A. Hoffmann und G. H. Schubert," Literaturwissenschaftliches Jahrbuch der Gorresgesel1schaft (Freiburg/ Br., 1926), I, 76 . Dahmen believes that Hoffmann and Schubert agree exactly in their interest in the abnormal, morbid, and dark, but that both award "ste ts dem Gesunden, Hellen und Kraftigen den eigentlichen Wert. . . ."

Werner, pp. I 36 f . 23

inimical force in Hoffmann's life and thinking, particularly the

reality of the ordinary world of philistines, unartistic and unsym­

pathetic to the artist and his work, as it was experienced by Hoffmann

himself. Indeed, it offers a double threat to the artist, outwardly

by discouraging him from successfully pursuing his career and inwardly

by causing him to long for happiness in the ordinary world, which

threatens to absorb him and dry up his talent by forcing him to con­

form (Werner, pp. I 38, 140). Werner extends this inimical reality to

include a supposed fear of the city on Hoffmann's part (Werner,

pp. 119 f.), "above all the progressive mechanization of life and

related degradation of man into an automaton." While the latter

observation may be true, for Hoffmann's fascinated horror of autom­

atons is well known, his fondness for the life of the city is equally well known, so that Werner's reasoning and evidence in that regard

seem rather obscure. He does, however, emphasize the fact that

Hoffmann considers "the seed and cause of all evil in man's desire 37 . . . to form his own destiny and determine its course," a basic

idea of Schelling and Boehme, as well as of Schubert, as has been

shown above. According to Werner, "The victory of the good principle over the bad had for the poet the same meaning as deliverance of the

Werner, p. 120; "Er fUrchtete vor allem die fo rt- schreitende Mechanisierung des Lebens und die damit verbundene Degradierung des Menschen zu einem Automaten."

Werner, p. 78 : "[Es] wird deutlich, dass der Dichter den Keim und die Ursache a llés Bosen im Willen des Menschen sie h t, das Schicksal selbst zu gestalten und in seinem Ablauf zu bestimmen." 24 *5p human being from reality." This deliverance, he adds, may take the form of escape into the supersensual world of poesy, as in the Mar- chen, or into the world of insanity, as in the "Kreisleriana"

(Werner, p. 155).

Mayer is in substantial agreement with Werner when he states:

"German reality [which he also calls 'the world of German misery'

('die Welt deutscher Misere')] appears in Hoffmann's description as 39 deeply inimical to the intellect and art." He emphasizes also the impossibility of the artist's finding love in the real world (the idea of the artist's love), and adds suicide, monastery, and hermitage to the list of possibilities presented by Hoffmann as escapes from r e a lity .

Harich also mentions the everyday world as being one facade of the inimical force (Dichtungen, I, 96). Similarly Ermatinger 40 points to "the pressure of an inimical and ugly reality," but sees in it at the same time the source of Hoffmann's fantasy life, which came into being as an escape from painful reality.

38 Werner, pp. 136 f . : "Der Sieg des guten Prinzips Liber das bbse war fur den Dichter gleichbedeutend mit Erlbsung des Menschen aus der Wirklichkeit."

Hans Mayer, "Die W irklichkeit £. I . A. Hoffmanns," in T. A. Hoffmann: Poetische Werke in sechs Banden, ed. Gerhard Seidel (Berlin, 1958), I, xviii-xix: "Wirklichkeit erscheint in Hoffmanns Schilderung als tief geist- und kunstfeindlich." Citations from this edition in my text are abbreviated as "PW."

Emil Ermatinger, Deutsche Dichter 1750-1900 (Frankfurt am Main, I 96 I), p. 515: "... der Druck einer feindlichen und hasslichen Wirklichkeit. . . 25

Man as a Helpless Puppet of Higher Forces

Richard von Schaukal also mentions reality as the fate

Hoffmann's heroes attempted to escape, with the help of their super­ natural mentors. He warns, however, of assuming that the inimical force is a devil or the beneficent force a spirit of light as such.

The dualism involved in the world of people is simply the opposition of higher powers, acting in their own interests and countering each other, using humans as pawns or tools, frequently with utter disregard for their feelings.

Sim ilarly, Ricarda Much, influenced by H itzig's comments, stresses Hoffmann's pessimism in creating characters whose passivity 42 tempted the "slinking Devil," which is fate, to manipulate them as he chose,

Tymms suggests that Hoffmann's horrified fascination of automatons is reflected in the human characters he created:

Hoffmann's interest in automata is not a mere chance either, for the mechanical figure is nearer to his characters than to real mankind; if the automaton is a man-made doll with certain human characteristics, the Hoffmann personage is an ostensibly human character with strong doll-like peculiar­ ities—for one thing, he, or she, is frequently a will-less victim to fate, the toy of dark forces outside himself,

41 Richard von Schaukal, T, A, Hoffmann, Sein Werk aus seinem Leben (Zurich, 1923), pp. 159-161, 42 Ricarda Huch, Die Romantik, Zweiter Tei1 : Ausbreitung und Verfal1 der Romantik (Leipzig, 1924), p, 226; "der schleichende Teufel,"

Ralph Tymms, German Romantic L iterature (London, 1955), p. 75. 26

Tymms believes that Hoffmann based "his genuine belief in the

existence of dark cosmic forces to which man may become subjected" upon the evidence obtained from mesmeric experiments (Tymms, p. 276),

If one human can work psychically upon another, why could not cosmic forces be even more effective proponents of this "pathological puppetry" (Tymms, p. /4)?

The Inimical Force as a Therapeutic and Inspirational Agent

Schmerbach emphasizes quite rig h tly the capacity of Hoffmann's works as a therapeutic outlet for his fears of a threatening fate:

"Er erloste sich von den ihn bedrangenden unbegreiflichen Machten, indem er sich mit ihnen in der Dichtung auseinandersetzte und sich so 44 zum Herrn liber sie machte," That the sublimation into his works of these fears as well as numerous other problems was conscious is best proven by Hoffmann's own comment in his diary: "Ich meine, geistige

Ausleerungen konnten wie ein Aderlass wirken" (January 6 , 1811).

A subtly different stress is placed upon a similar point of view by Margis. He expresses surprise at Hoffmann's "b elief in an inimical force, which appears strange considering Hoffmann's high degree of intelligence,"^^ which belief he considers based upon

UU Hartmut Schmerbach, StiIstudien zu E. T. A. Hoffmann (Berlin, 1929), p. 10.

Paul Margis, "E. T. A. Hoffmann. Eine psychographische Individual analyse," in Beihefte zur Zei tschrift fur angewandte Psychologie und psycholoqische Sammelforschung (Leipzig, 191l), p, 38; '' . . . Glaube an eine feindliche Macht, der sich bei der hohen Intel 1igenzstufe Hoffmanns wunderlich ausnimmt." 27

Hoffmann's chronic fear of the p o ssib ility of becoming insane.

According to Margis, Hoffmann was quite aware that the inimical force existed only in the imagination of those whose mental or moral ab­ normality encouraged them to believe in i t , and he intimates that

Hoffmann consciously used his fear to enhance his literary efforts:

MUssen wir nun auch annehmen, dass Hoffmann sich von diesen BefUrchtungen, die einer leichten Paranoia gleichen, nicht losmachen konnte oder wollte, weil sie sich vor- trefflich als dichterische Stimulantien verwenden 1 lessen, so haben wir doch keine Berechtigung, diesen Erscheinungen eine wesentliche Wirkung auf die Gestaltung seines Lebens zuzuschreiben. (Margis, pp. 61 f.)

Thus Margis considers the catharsis of fear into literary expression as basically a conscious, calculated procedure, while Schmerbach considers it the impelling necessity of personal desperation in which the literary product is secondary to the psychological un­ burdening process which has gone into its creation. In direct opposition to Hoffmann's inimical force, Margis places art—"eine hohe k6 geheimnisvolle Macht" —which results in a rather lop-sided version, leaning strongly toward the positive, of Schelling's solicitation theory--in Margis' eyes the negative (the inimical force) exists primarily as a stimulus for the positive ( a r t) , and has been maneuvered into a position of re la tiv e harmlessness, remote from the problems of life and the soul.

kS Margis, pp. 59 f .: "So kommt es, dass ihm zur Schatzung seiner Kunst das Hochste nicht hoch genug i s t . Sie is t ihm eine hohe geheimnisvol le Macht, die den Menschen besser und frbmmer gestaltet, sie ist ihm das Land der Sehnsucht, wo das Wunderbare und Liebevolle zu Hause ist, sie ist ihm als Spharenmusik ein Natur- prinzip, vor allem aber ist sie ihm heilig und unantastbar. . . ." 28

Harich expresses even more strongly than Schmerbach the driven aspect of Hoffmann's productivity, calling him "the artist pursued by demons" ("den von Damonen gejagten Künstler," Dichtungen,

VI, x i i i ) , "one hounded to death by his demon and by fate" ("einen von seinem Damon und vom Schicksal zu Tode Gehetzten," Dichtungen,

I I I , xxxv), "the transcendental musician, torn apart by inner demonic possession" ("den von inneren Damonien zerrissenen transzendentalen

Musiker," Dichtungen, XII, ix), etc. He singles out a list of tales

("Die Abenteuer der Si 1vesternacht," "Der Sandmann," "Der unheimliche

Cast," "Der schwebende Teller," "Hyanen," "Nachricht aus dem Leben eines bekannten Mannes" [sometimes called "Der Teufel in B erlin"],

"Der Elementargeist") as works "which came into being under the pressure of demonic possession, which are necessary" ("die unter dem

Zwang damonischer Besessenheit entstanden, die notwendig sind,"

Dichtungen, VI, i.), Harich likewise refers to Hoffmann's friend,

Ludwig Devrient, the celebrated Berlin actor, as one possessed by

Demons (Dichtungen, VII, vi), plainly marking his use of the term

"Demon" as a spirit not entirely negative, but rather as the inner need of the artist to create, representing simultaneously his torment and his inspiration.

Hans von M uller's views combine those of Harich and those of

Huch when he paraphrases Paul Sucher and Max P irk er's ideas,

dass Hoffmann occulte feindliche Machte postuliert, die plotzlich auftauchen, um den Menschen hinterlistig und tUckisch auf Schritt und Tritt zu belauern. Diese "dunkle Macht" heftet sich an irgendein unbedeutendes Ereignis und lahmt von da an jeden Wi1lensentschluss des Helden. (Das kunstlerische Schaffen, p. 27) 29

Von Muller stresses, however, that this statement holds true "in voiler Starke" only for what he terms the demonic tales (primarily

"Die Abenteuer der Silvester-Nacht," "Der Sandmann," "Rat Krespel,"

"Das Majorat," "Don Juan," "Der Magnétiseur"), written between 1812 and 1817 , terming the key-note of all these tales a "paralyzing feeling of fear" and concluding; "Schon I 8I8 sah Hoffmann selbst auf diese Zeit wie auf etwas Überwundenes zurück,"^^

The Role of the Unconscious

Benz interprets the eternal battle of Hoffmann's characters between evil-darkness and good-light as taking place not on a moral plane (Compare Sucher's statement that Hoffmann is entirely lacking kB in the "Realisierung der moralischen Konzeption des Gottiichen." ), but "in an intellectual-symbolic-romantic sense" ("in einem geist- ZlQ symbolisch-romantischen Sinne" ) between the realm of poesy and the everyday philistine w orld,but says also that this realm of poesy really exists only within the artist himself and consists of his ability to see and feel the marvelous within and beyond the real world,

von Muller, Das kunstlerische Schaffen, pp. 26-29.

Pirker, "Rezension," p. 268,

liQ Benz, Die deutsche Romantik, p. 348.

Richard Benz, Marchen-Dichtung der Romantiker (Gotha, 1908), p. 144; "... denn es Idas Marchenj stellt das bose Prinzip dar, die allés Leben erstickende Phi 1isterhaftigkeit."

Ib id ., p. 143. 30

Benz' interpretation is, of course, similar to Novalis' notion of seeking the universe within man himself and even of the Fichtean

Ego creating its own external world, good and evil. Hoffmann's admiration for Novalis is known, and Hewett-Thayer suggests that

Hoffmann might readily have been acquainted with Fichte's thinking, 52 perhaps through the works of Jean Paul.

In her detailed work dealing mainly with "Der goldne Topf,"

Jaffë^presents the unconscious as Hoffmann's wonderful land of dreams 53 and fantasy, the paradisiacal "Urwelt" which plays a prominent role in Boehme's, Schelling's, Schubert's, Saint-Martin's and Hoffmann's thinking. It is the world which man left when he sought wisdom apart from God or Nature, and to which he striv es to retu rn . She intim ates that Anselmus' escape into Atlantis, i.e. his absorption by the unconscious, really symbolizes his death (Jaffe*^ p. 420). Jaffe'' designates Nature as negative and inim ical, as far as Hoffmann is concerned, and she associates with Nature the dark, chthoiiian figures of the black dragon and Liese and sees in the latter Hoffmann's mysterious nature goddess, which assumption is rather difficult to accept if one keeps in mind the vastly different descriptions

Hoffmann has prepared for Liese and the goddess, where she appears in other works, and in "Topf." Yet, Jaffe*^continues. Nature has a double face--exterior reality and the inner realm ("das Reich der

Hewett-Thayer, p. 115.

Aniela Jaffe"^ "Bilder und Symbole aus E. T. A. Hoffmanns Marchen 'Der goldne Topf,"' in Carl Gustav Jung, Gestaltungen des Unbewussten. Mit einem Beitraq vpn------Aniela Jaffe^ (Zurich, 1950l, 31 inneren Bilder," p. 272), which would seem to be related to the unconscious. Thus Jaffe's conception of Nature appears to bear a marked resemblance to Hoffmann's eternal force, by virtue of its encompassing that which is accepted as good (the inner realm) and as evil (nature of real world), although Jaffe'does not come to this conclusion. Later she does, however, call atten tio n to Boehme's acceptance of a God whom he postulated as being highly dualistic

(Jaffe*^ p. 326 ). Jaffe'equates the soul, as source of the mystics' conception of God, with the unconscious. She sta te s that Hoffmann, unlike Boehme, was unable to accept the vastly differing figures that arose from his unconscious as being part of a whole, but rejected some of them as "evil" while accepting others as "good"

(p, 326 ), As has been shown above, such a neat division of good and evil seldom occurs in Hoffmann's works. In her conception of

Nature, Jaff^has accurately described Hoffmann's eternal force-

Weltgeist, but she does not recognize this relationship.

In treating the same work ("Topf"), Ochsner stresses the negative aspect of the unconscious. In his opinion, Anselmus is a typical schizophrenic, and his escape into the unconscious indicates not his death or the re-entry into the idyllic original world of harmony as Jaffe'believes, but his entry into the world of insanity,^^

For Ochsner, the unconscious in Hoffmann's works is not only the area where transcendental revelations may be manifested (which agrees with

Karl Ochsner, E, T, A, Hoffmann als Dichter des Unbewussten (Leipzig, 193^7, p, 99, 32

Jaffe^'s equating the soul of the mystics with the unconscious), but also the stage on which the various aspects of the personality, particularly the worse ones, may appear to the subject as separate individuals, urging him on an unconscious level to do evil on a conscious one (Ochsner, p. 112). (This reminds one of a statement of Schubert: "Ich erschrecke, wenn ich diese Schattenseite meines

Selbst einmal im Traume in ihrer eigentl ichen Gestalt erblickeS'

[Traum, p. 1571 and Freud's theory of the ruthless "self" of the unconscious, the Id.) To illustrate these evil "selves" Ochsner uses the figures of Viktorin, the old painter, and a devil with whom

Medardus id en tifies himself (E lixiere des T eufels), all of whom he considers as splinters of Medardus' personality. Their purpose, however, is to lead Medardus from unconscious innocence to evil on the conscious level, where he may consciously repent and turn toward the good—a process which again reflects the solicitation theory of

Schelling, whom Ochsner quotes and interprets at considerable length

(Ochsner, pp. 117 ff.). Thus Ochsner concludes: "... das

Unbewusste steht also mit dem Bewusstsein des Helden im Kampfe, es treibt ihn vorwarts, es bildet den zum bewussten Ich gegensatzlichen

Pol seiner Entwicklung, es hat somit teleologische Bedeutung"

(p. 112). Evil is necessary for the recognition and advancement of good, which latter is actively possible in man only on the conscious level. Here Ochsner touches upon an important part of Schubert's theory, that of the opposition in man of the ganglien system and the cerebral system. The ganglien system (the unconscious or "Nachtseite"), which Schubert sees as the source of evil, animal instinct, and 33

sensuality in man, is constantly striving to get the upper hand

over the cerebral system (the conscious), the source of man's

nobler impulses. For Schubert the ganglien system has an ambivalent quality, as has Ochsner's unconscious, as it is most closely related to nature and God, it having been man's original primitive thinking mechanism while he was s ti l l existing in the harmonious primordial world (Traum, pp. 122 ff.). In Schelling's nomenclature, that part of man which is tied most firmly to nature is called "Schwere" and that which is spiritual is called "Lichtwesen" ("Weltseele," Werke,

Hauptband I, 437).

Good and Evil as Traditional Elements

Egli tends to minimize the influence of Schelling on Hoffmann and emphasize the traditional Jewish/Christian elements in Hoffmann's theological philosophy. Egli equates the beneficent force with artistic ability and Heaven, and the inimical force with sensuality and Hel1 :

Fur Hoffmann aber haben klinstlerisches Schaf fen und Entsagung von jeher ein und dasselbe bedeutet, weil ihn das Begehren der Sinne immer wieder von der geistigen Schopfung abzuziehen schienj nach Massgabe seines neuen Glaubens [after the loss of Julia] an die g ottliche Bestimmung, die ihn mit der Sendung eines KUnstlers be- traute, muss daher die Leidenschaft und also auch die Sinnenwelt, aus der sie stammt und von der sie genahrt wird, den Charakter des Gottfremden, Gottfeindlichen, Bosen an sich tragen, weil sie.gottlichem Gabot und ewiger Absicht zuwider lauft.

Gustav Egli, T. A. Hoffmanns Persbnlichkeit (Zurich, 1926 ), pp. 42 f. 34

There is no doubt that Egli's statement has considerable merit in the case of some of Hoffmann’s works, p articu larly those dealing with the artist's love (Idealbild), where the artist is tempted to neglect his artistic career for the sake of an ordinary love affair, as in "Die Jesuiterkirche in G." and "Die Brautwahl," but overlooks the cases where the artist succeeds in integrating the artistic and sensual aspects of his life successfully, even though with some difficulty, as in "Signor Formica," "Meister Martin der KUfner und seine Gesellen," and "Prinzessin Brambilla." In the last case, both lovers are engaged in an artistic career. One should perhaps also mention the cases in the Marchen where sensual love is somewhat refined by being elevated into a more poetic sphere, but is none­ theless presumably not denied the artist ("Der goldne Topf" and "Klein

Zaches"), Egli maintains also that Hoffmann himself was torn between love for art and sensual love, and in fact was almost prepared to sacrifice his artistic career for the sake of Dora Hatt, then Minna, and finally gave up the opportunity for a better position with the theater in Wurzburg rather than part from Julia and the "Esperancen" regarding her, which are mentioned in his diary during the period from March 21 through August 29, 1812, and which Egli believes to be Hoffmann's tenacious optimism regarding the possibility of an actual love affair with Julia. Nowhere in the diaries is there any really concrete evidence to support this possibility. Rather, one is more inclined to feel that Hoffmann, who was well aware of his lack of a ttra c tiv e n e ss, hoped that Julia would decide to continue pursuing her art rather than expecting to find happiness with Groepel, thereby 35

at least staying in Hoffmann's vicinity. As for the situations with

Cora and Minna, Hoffmann at that time was not professionally engaged

in artistic pursuits, so could scarcely consider sacrificing them.

When Egli places the blame for Hoffmann's failu re to make a

success of his exclusively artistic life on Hoffmann's allegedly

strongly developed sensuality, he overlooks the fact that Hoffmann was forced to undertake nonartistic endeavors primarily for financial

reasons.

Von Schaukal also stresses sensuality as the weapon used by

the inimical force to lure the unwary hero into damnation or the

b an al,w h ile Sucher maintains that Hoffmann "postulated occult,

inimical forces which appeared suddenly, that the individual existence for Hoffmann is not a simple reflection of the universe" because he found the Schubert-Schel1ing idea of the Weltseele "too vague,

Finally, Heilborn and Dahmen equate Hoffmann's conceptions rQ of goodness and beauty, Heilborn includes in the beautiful that which is appropriate, an important observation, and indeed calls

Hoffmann "the completely unethical person" ("den durchaus unethischen

Menschen," p, 94), who followed his own ideas of what behavior was

von Schaukal, p, 267,

Pirker, "Rezension," p. 264: "Ungemein fruchtbar ist nun die . . . Beobachtung, dass Hoffmann die Konzeption einer derartigen Weltseele zu vag fand, dass er plotzlich auftauchende, okkulte, feind* liche Machte postuliert, dass die individuelle Existenz fur Hoffmann nicht ein einfacher Reflex des Alls ist," rp Ernst HeiIborn, T, A. Hoffmann, Der Künstler und die Kunst (B erlin, 1926), pp, 94 f ,j Dahmen, "Hoffmann und Schubert," pp, 94 f . 36

appropriate for himself, only paying lip service, if he thought it would help sell his works, to "the opposition of Heaven and Hell,"

but "for him personally there was, basically considered, no good and eg evil." Since Heilborn criticises as a moral fault in Hoffmann his evident lack of a clear-cut division between good and evil, it is apparent that there is no room in Hei1 born's thinking for a force encompassing both. He does, however, find earthly nature and the cosmos as opposing forces, using "Der Kampf der Sanger" as evidence, although he concedes that this idea is not very clearly expressed by

Hoffmann him self.

The preceding examples show, if nothing else, the difficulty of assigning definite roles to the inimical force and its related phenomena, as they are conceived by Hoffmann. While all the opinions expressed have merit, they are, and are intended to be, only partial answers, as they were in most cases written only as small, and in some cases incidental, parts of studies devoted to other matters. Mention should also be made of the fact that the term "inimical force" is sometimes applied by Hoffmann's characters to powers or persons inimical to them personally, regardless of whether these powers or

59 Heilborn, p. 94: "Er spiel te mit Satanismen, betonte den Gegensatz von Himmel und Hblle— : fur ihn persbnlich gab es im Grunde kein Gut und Bbse."

Heilborn, p. 121: "Aus irgendwelchen instinktiven Regungen heraus, die mit der wohl Uberkommenen, aber doch auch zu Eigenbesitz gewordenen Anschauung in Widerspruch stehen, wirkt das Kosmische auf ihn als ein der irdischen Natur widerstrebendes, beinahe feindliches Prinzip. Das tritt nicht ganz klar hervor, lasst sich aber, wie es gefUhlsmassig besteht, gefilhlsmassig in dem 'Kampf der Sanger' nacherleben." 37

persons have a positive or negative basic character, when viewed

from an objective point of view. Such instances occur in Elixiere,

"Don Juan," "Magnétiseur," "Der unheimliche Cast," and other works,

and they will be pointed out when these works are discussed in detail

below. It is the purpose of this study to attempt a schematic

tracing of the inimical force and, unavoidably, the beneficent and

eternal forces in Hoffmann's works, their sources and characteristics

arranged so far as this is possible, in the patterns in which they

occur. Naturally, a perfect arrangement is not possible because

here, as throughout all areas of Hoffmann's work, while he drew

heavily on the ideas of others for background, characters, and plot,

he did not follow his sources slavishly, but varied and altered

them as he saw f i t . At the same tim e, his rich est and most varied

source was his own vivid fantasy. He felt no compulsion or need

to curtail his imagination nor to devise or adhere to any particular

philosophy or set of rules, and if he did succeed in formulating a

"new mythology" in accordance with Friedrich Schlegel's proposals, as Negus suggests,^* it was surely unintentional, Hoffmann felt free to present various and sometimes opposite points of view as basic tenets of his various works, depending upon his circumstances, his mood, or his whim, which is not su rp risin g , since he was, after all, not a philosopher, but a poet.

Kenneth Negus, E. T. A. Hoffmann's Other World (Philadelphia, 1965). CHAPTER II

ERROR: THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE INIMICAL FORCE

If any one thing may be considered a basic requisite for the

presence of the inimical force, it is the state of error on the part

of the victim, deliberately or accidently brought about by him or

some other person or thing. The scope of possibility for error is

extremely g reat, ranging from an instance of poor judgment and mis­

understanding at one end of the scale, to the ultimate degree of

error—insanity, a little of which is involved in all error—on the

other. Thus Kreisler calls the world "an eternal puzzling misunder­

standing" (Kater Murr, Dichtungen V, 355),* and Viktorine ("Zusammen-

hang der Oinge") stresses the foolish errors committed repeatedly by

human beings:

Den wahren Zusammenhang unsers ganzen Seins bilden, denk' ich, die Torheiten, die wir begehen, bereuen und wieder begehen, so dass unser Leben ein toller Spuk scheint, der uns, unser eigenes Ich rastlos varfolgt, bis er uns <.J Tode neckt und hetzt I" (Dichtungen XI, I 67 )

The role of the appropriate, as opposed to the erroneous, as

already mentioned in the previous chapter in connection with Ochsner's

* Cf. letter to Speyer, May 1, 1820, regarding Julia's "missverstandenes Leben" as Groepel's wife.

38 39 views, should not be underestimated, for Hoffmann's sense of the 2 appropriate, if not always orthodox, was nevertheless unquestionably

strong,^ and anyone gu ilty of erring against Hoffmann's conception of what was suitable behavior risked a dose of Hoffmann's sarcasm.

Even so great a proponent of personal individuality as Hoffmann's alter ego Johannes Kreisler admits "Der gute Ton besteht aber, so- wie der gute Geschmack, in der Unterlassung allés Ungehorigen"

(Kater Murr, Dichtungen V, 494). Schelling stresses the importance of "Sittlichkeit," i.e. ethical and appropriate action, in "Philo­ sophie der Kunst" (Werke, Hauptband I I I , 403) and "Philosophie und

Religion" (Werke, Hauptband IV, 33), where he equates it with "Gute," an idea sent to man from the Divine (along with the ideas of beauty/ art and truth/science, the three factors dealt with by philosophy, according to Schelling).

The following examples will illustrate a few of the possi­ bilities for error, which lead to involvement with the inimical force.

Poor judgment on the part of the elderly Widow Helms in in­ sistin g that her fo ster son Eugeni us marry her, and Eugeni us' poor sense of the appropriate in conceding to her wishes ("Datura fastuosa") delivered Eugeni us into the hands of the inimical force in the persons

2 Meister Abraham, for example, prefers "die natUrliche Artigkeit" to "der konventionellen," which is so often artificial (Kater Murr, Dichtungen V, 35). 3 Hippel mentions Hoffmann's sense of propriety, already developed when he was a youth. "Hoffmanns Jugend," E, T. A. Hoffmann: Gesamirolte Werke, Vol. V, E. T. A. Hoffmann: Lebens- ansichten, ed. Nino Erne"(Hamburg, 19?5)1 p7 l?ïl ko of Fermi no Valles and Gabriel a. The wise young law student. Sever

(in whom we recognize a youthful portrait of Hoffmann himself), recognized the error of the situation at onces

"Armer Freund," sprach Sever in welches dichte Netz von Missverstandnissen hast du dich ver- sponnen I . . . Glaube ja n ich t, dass ich gegen die gute harmlose Absicht der Professorin den mindesten Zweifel hege, . . . aber sie selbst, guter Eugenius, sie selbst ist in grossem Irrtum befangen." (Dichtungen, IX, 239)

After the marriage. Sever also recognized the true character of

Gabriela and Fermino, while Eugenius misjudged them completely.

Misjudging the character of another, usually inimical 1 y inclined, person, is in itself the error which frequently forms the first step on the road to disaster. In the related stories "Der

Magnétiseur" and "Der unheimliche Gast," it was the good opinions held by Ottmar and the Colonel respectively of the mesmerists which first gained their entries into the homes of their victims, despite the opposition of other more sensitive members of the households.

Thus Ottmar defended Alban against the suspicians of his father:

Mein guter Water soil sich aber überzeugen, wie unrecht er meinem guten Alban und der Kunst tut, welche auszu- Uben ihm Gott die Macht verliehen. ("Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 22)

Under Ottmar's influence, Marie fought her own doubts and yielded her mind to the domination of Alban, who eventually destroyed her.

Similarly, the Colonel ("Gast") was convinced of the sterling charac­ ter of his old friend S—i, scoffing at the fears of his wife and the other members of his household, which proved, however, to be well founded. In "Berganza," Cacilia's mother attempted to introduce

Monsieur George to her c irc le in the most favorable light possible 41

("Madame hatte seine Ankunft mit vielem Pomp verklindigt. , .

Dichtungen, XIII, 64), but managed to fool only Cacilia, which, of course, was her primary aim. The three of Hoffmann's self-portraits who appear in the Cacilia segment of the story (Berganza, the poet, and the musician) recognized the danger, but were helpless to prevent the tragic consequences,

Berganza. 0 mein Freund, den kUnstIichen SchIingen des Teufels, der jede Gelegenheit benutzt, seinen Hohn gegen die Menschen in gewaltsamen Kontrasten recht auszulassen— denen ist es sehr schwer zu entgehen, (Dichtungen, X III, 65)

The basic error of this inappropriate match between the pure, child­ like Cacilia and her depraved fiance' whose true character the girl did not recognize until it was too late, gave the inimical force the opportunity to destroy the girl, not only as a person, but, to Hoff­ mann just as important, as an artist:

Madames zerrU ttete Vermogensumstande machten die Verbindung mit dem reichen Hause wUnschenswert, und all' die hohen Kunstaussichten und Ansichten, von denen man in so vielen wohlgestel1 ten Floskein und Phrasen gesprochen, gingen darUber zum Teufel I (Dichtungen, XIII, 65 )

In a similar but less trag ic vein which borders on the humorous, partly because the victim is unaware of the real nature of his predicament, and wishes to remain unaware of i t , is the story of the professor of aesthetics and his beautiful but unfaithful wife, woven into Kater Murr. Thus the professor, convinced of his wife's excellence, greeted her with "divine, sublime, heavenly woman"

(Dichtungen, V, 44?) just before the poodle brought him the glove left behind by her lover. 42

The error of prejudice is the main theme in "Meister Martin der KUfner und seine Gesellen" and in "Meister Johannes Wacht."

Both men risked catastrophe by interfering in the lives of their daughters and th eir su ito rs: Meister Martin by demanding that his

Rosa marry a cooper, and Meister Wacht by refusing to allow his daughter Nanni to marry his young ward, Jonathan Engelbrecht, be­ cause Jonathan was a lawyer. Meister Martin was reproached for his stubbornness by his old friend Spangenberg, who feared that the eternal force would punish such a display of arrogance and willfulness;

Dem Himmel, spracht Ihr, soil Eurer Tochter Schicksal anheimgestel1t sein , und doch g re ift Ihr mit irdischer Blodsinnigkeit dem Ratschluss der ewigen Macht vor, indem Ihr eigensinnig vorher f e s ts e tz t, aus welchem kleinen Kreise Ihr den Eidam nehmen w o llt. Das kann Euch und Eure Rosa ins Verderben stUrzen. Lasst ab, Meister Martin . . . von solcher unchristlicher kindischer Torheit, lasst die ewige Macht gebieten, die in Eurer Tochter frommes Herz schon den rich tig en Ausspriich legen wird. (Dichtungen, X, 206)

It happened that Meister Martin's prejudice was based upon yet another error—his faulty interpretation of his mother's deathbed prophecy, and once this was made plain to him, his prejudice vanished.

The prejudice of Meister Wacht is explained as the one foolish flaw in an otherwise admirable character:

Nur der widerwartige Missklang in Wachts Seele erzeugte den Gedanken, dass die Liebe der armen Nanni zu dem un- schuldigen Jonathan ein sein ganzes Leben verstorendes UnglUck sei. Eben darin aber, dass dieser Missklang Uberhaupt in dem harmonischen Wesen des sonst durchaus grossartigen Alten forttonen konnte lag auch die Un- m oglichkeit, ihn zu dampfen oder ganz zum Schweigen zu bringen. (Dichtungen, X, 3D2)

In this character fault, Meister Wacht is related to the Hoffmann heroes with fatal flaws, through which the inimical force works on 43 them and draws them to destruction. It is Jonathan, the victim of

Meister Wacht's prejudice, who recognized the error of the old man's thinking most clearly:

Nein, Ihr seid nicht mehr mein Water, Ihr seid ein Wahn- sinniger, der einem lâcher lichen Vorurteil ohne Bedenken Ruh' und Gluck der liebsten Kinder o p fert. , . . (Dichtungen, X, 331)

The fact that it is Jonathan who equated Wacht's state of error with that of insanity makes the statement especially significant since

Hoffmann has obviously portrayed himself in the young jurist and poet, who is described as being diminutive and in delicate health, but intelligent, hard working, and sensible. Wacht's recognition of Jonathan's fine qualities finally succeeded in ridding him of his prejudice and the threat of catastrophe.

As long as the state of error can be terminated or reversed, there is hope for salvation from the inimical force, which is fre - quently mentioned by Hoffmann as the source of error; but error, left unchecked, leads its victim to catastrophe. The termination or reversal of error demands first of all that it be recognized, by no means an easy task, Schelling, Schubert, and the mystics^ stress the difficulty of distinguishing between the true and the false when

^ Thus Leonardus to Medardus: " , , . ich konnte dich daher nach der Klosterzucht hart strafen, doch will ich dies nicht tun, da vielleicht irgendeine bose Macht—der Widersacher selbst , , , an deiner Verirrung schuld ist, , , ," (Elixiere, PW II, 54)

^ Evelyn Underhill, Mysticism (Cleveland, 1955), pp, 280, 361 , et passim. 44 the poles involved are the epitomes of good and evil;^ how much more puzzling is the task when the choices involved are not so diametrically opposed. Thus Medardus could say only after a life­ time crowded with tr ia l and e rro r, and repentance;

Erst j e t z t war mein Geist fahig, das Wahre von dem FaIschen zu unterscheiden, und bei diesem klaren Bewusstsein musste jede neue PrUfung des Feindes wirkungslos blei ben. (Elixiere, PW II, 36 I)

The Theme of the Mirror

To illustrate the difficulty involved in simply recognizing the difference between good and e v il, true and fa ls e , Hoffmann some­ times uses the theme of the mirror to suggest the confusing relation­ ship between the observer outside the mirror and the image reflected by it. The plainest instance of this theme occurs in a postscript to

"Die Abenteuer der Sihester^Nacht," where the traveling Enthusiast emphasizes the ease with which evil may be mistaken for good, the two seeming to be as identical as the figures in and outside a mirror. But of course the image in the mirror is just the opposite of the one in reality (as in Schelling's "reverse principle"), and thus quite different. Only the most careful observer, however, can see this vital difference at a glance:

Was schaut denn dort aus jenem Spiegel heraus?—Bin ich es auch wirkl ich ?--0 Jul ie--Giul ietta--Himmel sbi Id—Hbl len- g e is t—Entzlicken und (iual—Sehnsucht und Verzweiflung.-- Du s ie h s t, mein lieber Theodor Amadaus Hoffmann I dass nur zu oft eine fremde dunkle Macht sichtbarlich in mein Leben tritt, . . . (Dichtungen, VI, 48)

^ Schubert, Traum, p. 142; Schelling, "Menschliche Freiheit," Werke, Hauptband IV, pp. 28l f. 45

While this mirror situation took place only in the traveling

E nthusiast's mind, actual mirrors and reflec tiv e surfaces abound in

Hoffmann's works, although as MUhlher points out, these mirrors only

seldom reflect the image of the person looking into them,^ but rather show him the images which occupy his thoughts. This is most

plainly shown in "Klein Zaches," where Prosper Alpanus instructs

Balthasar :

"Treten Sie," sprach er dumpf und feierlich, "treten Sie vor diesen Spiegel, Balthasar, richten Sie Ihre festen Gedanken auf Candida—w o 1 1 e n Sie mit ganzer Seele, dass sie sich Ihnen zeige in dem Moment, der jetzt existiert in Raum und Zeit." (Dichtungen, III, 194)

The image prophetically showed Klein Zaches toppling from his place of favor beside Candida, which he had won by his a b ility to mislead others in judging his character and talents.

Only when the observer's attention is centered upon himself does he see and recognize himself in a m irror. Thus Meister Abraham, just before he became involved in his life with Chiara, saw only him­ self in her mirror (Kater Murr, Dichtungen, V, 209), while Chiara herself was accustomed to seeing prophetically things unrelated to herself when seated before the same mirror (p. 212). In the last chapter of "Topf," Hoffmann depicts himself much concerned about his own unsuccessful efforts at attempting to write the end of the story, and in his imagination peering into a metal mirror which seems to be a duplicate of the magic mirror of Veronika. He hopes for

^ Robert MUhlher, "Liebestod und Spiegelmythe in E. T. A. Hoffmanns Marchen 'Der goldne Topf,'" in Z eitsch rift fur deutsche Philologie, LXVII (Stuttgart, 1942), pp. 21-56. 46

inspiration, but he sees only himself, pale and melancholy, for he

imagines the mirror to be held up by inimical spirits: "... recht

tUckische Geister (es mochten wohl Verwandte—v ie lle ic h t Cousins germains der getoteten Hexe sein). . . ." ("Topf," Dichtungen, III,

111), who offer him a false prophecy of failure. Kater Murr is too conceited and self-centered ever to see anything but himself in a mirror:

. . . ein Blick in den Spiegel Uberzeugte mich, dass der blosse ernste W ille, nach hoherer Kultur zu streben, schon v o rteilh aft auf meine aussere Haltung gew irkt.— Ich be- trachtete mich mit dem innigsten Wohlgefallen.--Gibt es einen behaglicheren Zustand, als wenn man mit sich selbst ganzpzufrieden ist?—Ich spann I (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 496)

Similarly Giglio Fava was in the habit of practicing theatrical

gestures before the mirror:

Nachdem Giglio genugsam die schonsten anmutigsten Gesten vor dem Spiegel probiert, nachdem er sich auf die fantastischen Redensarten liebekranker Helden besonnen und die voile Überzeugung gewonnen, dass er total un- w iderstehlich s e i , begab er sich , als schon die Abend- dammerung einzubrechen begann, getrost nach dem Pa last Pistoja. ("Brambi1 la," Dichtungen, III, 367 )

The spooky atmosphere of the Palast P isto ja, however, diminished

his self-confidence and reminded him of the frightening and puzzling

g "... ich nahm merklich zu, wo nicht in Wissenschaften, so doch in der Starke meines Leibes, und bemerkte, wenn ich mich im Spiegel anschaute, mit VergnUgen, dass mein rundbackiges A ntlitz nachst der jugendlichen Frische etwas Ehrfurchtgebietendes zu erhalten begann." (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 270)

"Als die Toilette geendet und ich bei dem Spiegel vorUberspazierte, erstaunte ich selbst, wie ich so plotzlich ein ganz andrer Kater geworden. Ich konnte es gar nicht unterlassen, mich selbst behaglich anzuschnurren, so schon kam ich mir vor. . . ." (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 371 ) 47

experiences he had recently undergone. At this point he mistook

an unexpected glimpse of himself in a mirror for his mysterious

double, who had lately caused him so much d iffic u lty , Tusman was

forced by Leonhard ("Brautwahl") to look into a mirror at a time when Tusmann was so much concerned with his own appearance that he was contemplating suicide. To his relief, Tusmann saw his own

face, no longer covered with indelible green paint, but looking better than ever (Pichtungen, VII, 21/).

Johannes Kreisler contemplated his own image without at

least some measure of agitation or confusion only once, while he was living at the monastery, enveloped in the work he loved and

separated from the disquieting elements that plagued him in the

outside world, seriously and calmly considering himself as a candi­

date for the monastery (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 319). When Kreisler

saw his reflection in the water of the lake at Sieghartshof, he spoke

to it as if it were the insane E ttlin g er, even though he was quite

aware that his macabre double was not physically present. But the

spectre of insanity was ever present in Kreisler's thoughts, and for

him Ettlinger personified madness, A few moments later, outside

Meister Abraham's door, however, Kreisler was completely fooled by his own image in the mirror and believed that Ettlinger had really followed him. K reisler's a b ility to distinguish between good and evil when he met them in re a lity was ever keen (one may remember that he recognized evil in Prince Hektor and the monk Cyprian while others were still being fooled), and he was quite willing to divorce himself even from something so personal as his own image, if that 48 image was for him symbolic of an inimical force—here insanity.

The error in Kreisler's thinking here is that of confusing an interior and an exterior force, i.e. whether the danger exists in his own mind or in the person of Ettlinger. In this respect Kreisler forms a kind of opposite number to Spikher ("Abenteuer der Silvester-

Nacht"), who attempted to regain his lost image at all c o sts, even though he realized that i t s return meant even deeper involvement with evil in the persons of Giulietta and Dapertutto. Spikher's in­ ability to see his mirror image, the blank space in the mirror, foretell the loss of his soul if he bows to Dapertutto's demands, a reminder so painful that he in sists all mirrors be shrouded, even when he is among people who already know his se cre t.

When Hoffmann's characters do see something besides their own reflections in the mirror, it is usually a vision of a prophetic nature, as has already been mentioned in the cases of Balthasar

("Klein Zaches") and Chiara (Kater Murr). Whether th is prophecy comes true, depends upon whether they are involved with a good or evil force or are embarked upon what Hoffmann considers to be a positive or negative undertaking. Anselmus saw Serpentina in Lind- horst's ring, the three beautiful snakes in the water of the Elbe, and, later, an idyllic scene of future happiness for himself and

Serpentina reflected in the shiny side of the golden pot, for he was striving to leave the mundane world for the world of poesy—an aim he did fin ally achieve and of which Hoffmann h eartily approved.

Veronika's magic mirror was able to lead him momentarily astray only after he had come to the erroneous conclusion that it was she whom he 49

really loved. Although Veronika could see Anselmus plainly in the

bottom of Liese's k e ttle and in the magic m irror, her dreams of 9 turning him into a Hofrat and her husband were doomed to failure.

In "Elem entargeistthe simple and pious servantf Paul

Talkebarth, was able to see the truth, i.e. the picture of the

devilish O'Malley, who would cause Viktor so much trouble, "mirrored"

in the coffee grounds of the fortuneteller Liese (Dichtungen, VI,

251). The fact that Paul would rescue his master from O'Malley and

Aurora was foreseen when he succeeded in interrupting the procedure

in the Major's cabinet by substituting his own image in the mirror

in which Viktor had hoped to catch a glimpse of Aurora (VI, 241).

In the work "Das ode Haus," both Theodor and Dr. K. could

see Edwine's image in Theodor's pocket mirror by means of psychic

rapport with the Countess Angelika (Dichtungen, IX, 159). Theodor's

infatuation for the young girl in the mirror was a false forerunner

of any future happiness with the girl, for the insane Angelika hoped

only to arouse love and curiosity in Theodor, whom presumably she

confused with her dead lover Count S., to lure him into her house.

When King Ophioch and Q.ueen Liris ("Brambi 1 la") recognized

themselves reflected upside-down in the newly repurified Urdarsee,

they were compelled to laugh at the topsy-turvy picture they saw, while at the same time recognizing and understanding themselves and

^ Cf. "Geheimnisse," Dichtungen, XI, 279. This same situation is repeated: Theodor could see the Greek princess in SchnUspelpold's magic mirror, but Schnüspelpold, like Liese, is related to the inimical force, and the princess, like Anselmus, was destined for greater things than marriage to a prosaic person. 50 each other in the light of th e ir newly discovered sense of humor.

Their action is prophetic for what is to come in the main story, for

the Urdarsee symbolizes, as Hoffmann plainly explains ("Brambi1 la,"

Dichtungen, I I I , 333), simple and natural humor, which the Prince

Bastianello di Pistoja, alias Celionati, finally succeeded in re­ turning to the Roman stag e. He hoped that i t , in turn, would have as beneficial and rewarding an effect on the Roman theatergoers' natures as the Urdarsee had upon its royal audience.

Annchen von Zabelthau's mirror showed her that she was be­ ginning to look like a carrot ("Konigsbraut," Dichtungen, VII, 300), a development she had not counted on when she promised to marry

Daucus Carota, but one that would apparently be necessary if she were to fit into his vegetable kingdom. With the unwitting help of her former fiance^ Amandus von Nebelstern, Annchen was snatched back from the course of action she now knew to be false—that of marrying the evil vegetable king—and soon regained her former appearance and fianceC The restoration of the appropriate negated the prophecy of the mirror.

As a final example of Hoffmann's use of the mirror as a form of prophecy, in a work where the final results were never written, one may consider the scene in Kater Murr where Kreisler attempted to divert and comfort the enigmatic Princess Hedwiga:

Kreisler wollte weiter reden; als er aber in dem kleinen Spiegel, der zur Seite des Fensters angebracht, der Prinzessin todbleiches, seltsam verstortes Antlitz erblickte, verstummte er vor dem Schauer, der sein Inneres durcheiste. (Dichtungen, V, 188) 51

K reisler's reaction seems much too strong to be simply the resu lt of observing Hedwiga's reflection as such. Rather, Kreisler's icy shudder intimates his awareness that Hedwiga's sorrowful image portends a tragic fate for her.

The Doppelganger

Da steht auch ein Mensch und s ta rrt in die Hohe, Und ringt die Hande vor Schmerzensgewaltj Mir graust es, wenn ich sein Antlitz sehe— Der Mond zeigt mir meine eigne G estalt. (H. Heine, Die Heimkehr, Poem 20)

The theme of the double is closely related to that of the mirror, as Maucher points out,^^ and likewise illustrates the astonishing similarity between good and evil, the appropriate and the inappropriate. The mirror image of Erasmus Spikher ("Abenteuer der

Si 1vester-Nacht"), which was no longer bound to follow Spikher's ges­ tures, and thus ceased to be a true reflection, and Johannes Kreisler's odd separation of himself into two—himself and his mirror image- acting simultaneously as master and apprentice ("Johannes Kreisler's

Lehrbrief"), might be considered as transitional figures between the mirror image and the double, although it is only in the former example that evil dominates one of the two figures, that of the mirror image. The importance of the Doppelganger in Hoffmann's life and works and in the works of the Romanticists in general has been frequently

Gisela Maria Maucher, "Das Problem der dichterischen W irklichkeit im Prosawerk von E. T. A. Hoffmann und E, A. Poe" (Ph.D. dissertation. Dept, of German, Washington University, 1?64), pp. 140 ff. 52 mentionedJ^ In Hoffmann's case, it is particularly striking with reference to his self-division into artist and burger, designated by the initials E. T, A. and E. T. W., an observation made by Werner,

Egli, Bergengruen, Erne, and others.

Jaffe^(p. 299) and Werner (pp. 82 f.) point out the usually negative aspect of the Doppelganger, although Jaffe'believes that the double or "shadow" figure is sometimes po sitiv e, giving Anselmus and

Theodor von Hippel as figures into whom Hoffmann projected the posi­ tive characteristics he felt lacking in himself: youth, adaptability, and the ability to escape the humdrum life in the case of Anselmus

(Jaffe^, pp. 298- 300), success, extroversion, and harmony with reality in the case of Hippel (p. 253). Werner believes the b a ttle between

Medardus and his double Viktorin symbolizes the b a ttle of the individual against a higher power (p. 82), while Jaffe"^indicates that

Viktorin actually represents a negative "shadow" figure, quoting 12 Schubert to support her views. Werner c a lls atten tio n to the passages in Hoffmann's diary for January 6, 1804, and November 6, 1809:

Ungeheure Gespanntheit des Abends—Allé Nerven e x c itie rt von dem gewUrzten Wein--Anwandlung von Todes-Ahndungen-- Doppelt-Ganger— (January 6, 1804)

^ ^ Jaffe^ p. 244: "Fast a lle romantischen Oichter haben in ihrem Werk den Doppelganger ein oder mehrma Is dargestellt, und diese Gestalt erscheint als ein Zeichen fur die Spaltung ihres Wesens." See also Pirker, "Rezension," p. 272; and Tymms, German Romantic L ite ra tu re , p. 354.

Jaffe"^ p. 299. 53

Montag; Enorme LUderlichkeit I—Sonderbarer Einfall auf dem Ball vom 6 —Ich denke mir mein Ich durch ein Verviel- faltigungs-Glas--alle Gestalten die sich um mich herum bewegen sind Ichs und ich argere mich u'ber ihr tun und lassen ppp (November 6 , 1809)

When Werner says: "Die immer wiederkehrende Verwendung des Doppel-

gangermotivs bei E, T. A. Hoffmann war Ausdruck der Lebensangst,

der Furcht vor unbekannten und nicht zu meisternden Gewalten," one

is tempted to add "within himself," for the latter entry from the diary obviously expresses the fear of loss of control of the self by the self, i.e. insanity. Werner continues: "Die Wirklichkeit des eigenen Ichs entschwindet, da der Mensch sein Schicksal nicht selbst gestalten zu konnen glaubt und sich einer fremden Macht unterworfen fU hlt, die sein Handeln, Denken und Empfinden bestimmt"

(Both quotes p. 83). This situation arises in the case of hypno­ tism, which will be dealt with in the section on personal elevation, but it is also especially true when the individual is insane.

Werner does not make this connection, however. For Hoffmann, the chief role of the double is to represent a creature which seems to be oneself, but over whom one has no control^^--a frightening portrayal of the state of insanity. The two most important negative

Doppelganger created by Hoffmann are Viktorin (Elixiere) and

E ttlinger (Kater Murr). Both were insane.

Doubles representing evil forces appear in "Kampf der Sanger"

(Heinrich von Ofterdingen and Nasias, who appears in the guise of

H einrich), in "Ignaz Denner" (Satan appears as Andres' double), in

^^ Cf. "Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 18. 54

the myth portion of "Brambi11a" (Hermod and Typhon), in "GelUbde"

(Stanislaus and Xaver), in "Abenteuern der Si 1vester-Nacht" (Julia

and Giulietta), in "Magnétiseur" (the Danish Major, who himself has

a double, and Alban), in "Sandmann" (Coppelius and Coppola), and in

"Elementargeist" (O'Malley's double). In all but three of these

works ("Brambi1 la," "Magnétiseur," and "Denner"), insanity also plays

a prominent part, if one considers, as Hoffmann apparently did, insane

in fatu atio n as a form of in san ity . Even in "Brambi11a," King Ophioch

suffers from depression and Queen Liris laughs incessantly.

The main character in "Sandmann" suffers repeated attacks of

insanity, so that the reader is not certain whether Coppelius and

Coppola are really the same person, sinister doubles, or persons

unrelated except in Nathanael's heated fantasy. In "Gelübde" the

mental condition of Hermenegilda is sufficiently precarious to make

understandable her confusion of her lover Stanislaus and his cousin

Xaver as well as her later willingness to give up her personality

entirely, changing gradually from a spirited young noblewoman into

a recluse, assuming a fanatical penance and hiding behind a mask, a

v e il, and an assumed name. In a sense, she became her own double,

for she was believed by the outside world to be in Italy with her

aunt, and both manifestations of her self—Hermenegilda and Colestina,

but especially the former--showed unmistakable signs of insanity, which were apparent to nearly everyone. For Xaver, she changed from

her original state, where she is typically described by Hoffmann as being "like an angel sent from Heaven as a holy consecration"

(Dichtungen, I I , 29) with "heavenly eyes" ( I I , 36) and an "angelic 55 face" (II, $4) into a "spectre of Hell" (II, 27) with the'flame of

Hell" (II, 52) in her eyes, the latter one of Hoffmann's favorite characteristics to designate those possessed by evil, here insanity,

Xaver is portrayed generally as a basically positive, though im­ pulsive youth, led astray by insane infatuation for his cousin's eccentric fianceeand the "sure, innate instinct for evil" (II, 38) which Hoffmann seems to intimate exists in everyone. However,

HermenegiIda's aunt considers his actions akin to those of "the most malicious spirit of Hell" (II, 53). Instances of love/insanity will be dealt with in the next section, devoted to the various types of love.

From the above examples, it is apparent that the theme of the sinister double is closely connected for Hoffmann with insanity and fear of losing control over the self. Thus the double appears as the frightening "insane half" of the prospective victim who is desperately attempting to hold onto his sanity (Murr, Elixiere), or the double plays the role of harasser ("Gelübde,""Brambi1 la") of his look-alike victim.

Additional examples of doubles who play the role of harassers, but in a humorous vein, appear in "Brautwahl" and "Geheimnisse," In

"Brautwahl" the mysterious goldsmith Leonhard conjures up a scene parallel to that in Hoffmann's diary to harass the pedantic, middle-aged Tusmann, who is determined to enter into an inappropriate marriage with his friend's daughter, pretty young Albertine, who does not love him:

Und wie von unwiderstehlicher Gewalt gehetzt, walze ich die Spandauer Strasse auf und ab und halte in meinen Armen 56

statt der Dame einen garstigen Besenstiel, der mir das Gesicht z e rk ra tz t, wahrend unsichtbare Hande mir den RUcken zerblauen, und um mich her wimmelt es von Geheimen Kanzlei-Sekretaren Tusmanns, die mit Besenstielen walzen, (Dichtungen, VII, 186)

In "Geheimnisse," Hoffmann himself appears and meets his own double—

the eccentric little magician Schnüspelpold has taken on Hoffmann's

form in revenge for Hoffmann's exposure of him and in the hope of

frightening Hoffmann sufficiently to discourage him from continuing

the exposure (Dichtungen, XI, 246 ff.). Both these stories are late

works, and since it is characteristic for Hoffmann eventually to take

more lightly subjects originally treated earnestly, it is not sur­

prising that the theme of the double undergoes a similar process.

When both Doppelganger are evil, they mean double trouble for

their victims, as in "Magnétiseur," "Elementargeist," and "Sandmann."

If one discounts Giglio's double ("Brambi11a"), who was only a

reveler dressed like Giglio, but was not a double in any other sense,

and the pseudo-doubles Giacinta/Brambi11 a and Giglio/Cornelio in the

same work, only four non-sinister sets of doubles appear in Hoffmann's

works—Felizitas and Dorina ("Artushof"); the two Rosas ("Meister

M artin"), Deodatus Schwendy and George Haber land ("Die Doppeltganger");

and Hofrat Reut1inger-Julie and Max-Julie the younger ("Das steinerne

Herz"). Even here insanity and loss of controlling one's own self

play important roles. Felizitas' father was an insane artist, and

she herself the ideal of the artist's love who had always lived in

Traugott's heart ("Da rief Traugott, wie von wahnsinniger Lust er-

griffen: 'Ach sie ist es ja, die Geliebte meiner Seele. . .

[Dichtungen, VIII, 6]), but whose physical possession would have 57

been disasterous. Dorina, on the other hand, was as like in

appearance to Felizitas as the same subject painted by Rubens in­

stead of Raphael (VIII, 32). Yet this subtle difference made her

a possibility for a physical love object. Such a relationship with

Felizitas would have destroyed Traugott's inspiration, just as a

similar one destroyed that of Berthold in "Jesuiterkirche." Nearly

the same situation exists in "Meister Martin." Rosa's artist-admirer

Reinhard realized in time that he had to give up Rosa, his artistic

ideal, for the sake of his art, but it was a second admirer, the

nobleman Konrad, who eventually married a young noblewoman who looked

exactly like Rosa and whose name was even Rosa ("Als Martin nun mit

den neuen Gasten eintrat in das Zimmer, wo die Brautleute mit den

iibrigen versammelt war en, geriet allés in ein frohes Erstaunen Liber

die schone Dame, die der hoi den Braut so auf ein Haar glich, als

sei es ihre Zwi11ingsschwester." [Dichtungen, X, 266]), In this

case, through no fault of her own, Rosa Martin might be considered

as the negative one of the doubles in regard to her relationship with Konrad, for whom a noblewoman instead of an ordinary girl made

a more appropriate match, and with Reinhard, whose art she would have

destroyed, had she married him. Although Rosa Martin was in no way

threatened by her noble counterpart, she was never really in control

of her own s e lf , for her father in siste d , with what amounted to a

fixed idea bordering on an unbalanced state of mind, that she fulfill

the destiny prophesied for her by her grandmother.

Just as unrelated to each other as the two Rosas and ju st as

like in appearance and even in voice as the two g irls were Deodatus 58

Schwendy (alias the prince) and the a r tis t George Haberland

(alias the young Graf Torny):

Er e ilte zurUck zum Wagen, aber e rs ta rrt vor Entsetzen, blieb er eingewurzelt stehen, als er eine mannliche Figur erblickte, die mit seiner Stimme sprach. . . . ("Doppelt- ganger," VIII, 1/8)

Ihm trat rasch der Jiingling, der mit dem Grafen von Torny gekommen, entgegen, und beide, sich nicht nur gleichend, nein, einer des andern Doppeltganger in Antlitz, Wuchs, Gebarde u.s.w . blieben, vor Entsetzen w ie .e rs ta r r t, in den Boden festgewurzelt stehen I (VIII, 224)

Here again there was no animosity between the doubles—unti1 they discovered that they both loved Natalie, whose image had lived in both their hearts since childhood. Still, even before this dis­ covery, horror at confronting the self in another, the fear of loss of identity and control of the self to the double were strong in both youths:

"Ja," fuhr er [Haberland] dann ruhiger fo rt, " ja , Bruder Berthold, es is t nur zu gewiss, es gibt ein zweites Ich, einen Doppeltganger, der mich v e rfo lg t, der mich um mein Leben betrUgen, der mir Natalie rauben wirdl" ("Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 190)

"Und wie," sprach er [Deodatus Schwendy] zu sich selbst, "wenn jene Natalie, jener schone Liebestraum, der in süssen Ahnungen durch mein Leben ging, nur i h m angehorte, meinem unbekannten Doppe1tganger, meinem zweiten - Ich, wenn er sie mir geraubt, wenn all mein Sehnen, all mein Hoffen ewig un erfü llt bliebe?" (V III, 196)

Cf. "Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 226: "Ein seltnes Spiel des Zufalls—oder mag es ein wunderbares Verhangnis genannt werden—fUgte es, dass beide, die Furstin und die Grafin, in der- selben Stunde, ja in demselben Augenblick von Sohnen entbunden wurden.--Noch mehr I Mit jeder Woche, mit jedem Tage offenbarte sich deutlicher eine solche Ahnlichkeit, ja eine solche vollige Gleichheit beider Kinder, dass es ganz unmoglich, sie voneinander zu unter- scheiden. Beide trugen in ihren kindischen Gesichtern aber schon deutlich die ZUge des Grafen von Torny. Konnte hier noch ein Irrtum , 59

After their dramatic confrontation, this instinctive fear was

enhanced drastically:

"Ha S' rief nun wild der junge Torny [Haberland], "ha I FUrst bist du, du der Hoi le entstiegene Doppelt- ganger, der mir mein Ich gestohlen, der mir Natalien zu rauben, der mir das Leben aus der zerfleischten Brust zu reissen trachtet?—Eitier, wahnsinniger Gedanke I Sie is t mein, mein S' Darauf der junge FUrst: "Was drangst du dich in mein Ich?—Was habe ich mit dir zu schaffen, dass du mich affst mit meinem Antlitz, mit meiner Gestalt I—Fort I hinweg— mein ist Natalie S' ("DoppeltgangerDichtungen, VIII, 233)

The role of insanity is softened here to that of extreme eccentricity,

found in both parents of the young prince and, to a lesser extent,

in the mother of Haberland.

In the case of Hofrat Reutlinger ("Herz"), he mistook the

actual appearance of his nephew Max and young Julie Foerd in the

garden temple as a prophetic vision of himself and Julie's mother,

whom he had loved and lost in his youth. For the Hofrat Reutlinger,

this supposed vision symbolized not only his misspent youth, but also

his approaching death^^—two areas, the past and the future, in which he had at present no control over his person ("Herz," Dichtungen,

X, 46). In this work, again the eccentricity displayed by Reutlinger's

behavior is extremely abnormal, if not quite insane. eine Tauschung sta ttfin d e n , so entschied der ganz ausgezeichnete Bau des Schadels, sowie ein kleines, wie die Mondessichel geformtes Mai auf der linken Schlafe jene Ahnlichkeit ganz und gar."

^ ^ This is an idea also suggested by Schubert, Traum, p. 88: "Mit diesen Fallen [the seeing of spirits to warn people of danger] verwandt sind auch jene, des sogenannten sich selber Sehens. Sie ereigneten sich ofters kurz vor dem Tode, oder bei vorhandnen moralischen Gefahren. ..." 60

The theme of the double occurs also, but with a comic twist,

in "Signor Formica," also a late work (1819). Here the foolish old

Capuzzi twice confronted his double on the stage in the person of

a disguised Salvator Rosa, In the first case, Salvator depicted an

idealized Capuzzi, which succeeded only in infuriating the old man.

But the second case, where Rosa staged a kind of morality play, was

successful in that Capuzzi realized his errors and reformed ("Formica,"

Dichtungen, VIII, 325-329, 339 ff.).

To sum up the examples above, one may say that the theme of

the double in Hoffmann's works indicates the ease with which error

may come about, the difficulty of distinguishing between the good or

appropriate and the bad or inappropriate. It also symbolizes for

Hoffmann the fear of loss of identity, especially in the form of

insanity. Other types of loss of identity will be taken up in the

chapter on personal elevation and the section on insanity.

Love; Pure, Demonic, and Proper

For Hoffmann there were three taboos for the prospective

lover, traps, which if he fell into them, represented situations of

the grossest error which could lead only to catastrophe. He must

not seek to win: (1) his Idealbild, if he was an artist, for this would destroy his inspiration; (2) a woman under the influence of the

inimical force, for her motives would of necessity be ulterior and

she would rob him of his joy on earth only to desert him in the end

and even endanger his chance for happiness in the world beyond; and

(3) an inappropriate person, whose u n su itab ility might consist of 61 any one of a myriad of forms—the sweetheart of another, one bound to the church, a person of a different social niveau, one too old or too young, or a creature not human, although the fact that an individual might have been an animal or a flower in a previous incarnation does not, as a rule, render him or her un­ desirable in his present incarnation, even if occasional relapses occur, as in the case of Serpentina ("Topf") or the lovers Dortje

Elverdink and Georg Pepusch ("Meister Floh").

As was mentioned in the introductory biography, Hoffmann's experience with Julia was the basis for his theory of the Idealbild, a renunciation painfully accepted and beautifully expressed many times, often with only slight v ariatio n s.H is most beautiful

Cf. "Ombra adorata," Oichtungen. I, 195: "Jetzt ist eine nie gefUhlte Ruhe und Heiterkeit in meine Seele gekommen. . . , Habe ich sie denn verloren? ist sie nicht im innern glühenden Leben ewig mein?"

Kater Murr, Dichtungen, V, 194: "Es begibt sich wohl, dass besagten Musikanten unsichtbare Hande urplotzlich den Flor wegziehen, der ihre Augen verhUllte, und sie erschauen, auf Erden wandelnd, das Engels- bild, das, ein susses unerforschtes Geheimnis, schweigend ruhte in ihrer Brust. Und nun lodert auf in reinem Himmelsfeuer, das nur leuchtet und warmt, ohne mit verderblichen Flammen zu vernichten, allés EntzUcken, alle namenlose Wonne des hoheren, aus dem Innersten emporkeimenden Lebens, und tausend Fuhlhorner streckt der Geist aus in briinstigem Verlangen und umnetzt die, die er geschaut, und hat sie, und hat sie nie, da die Sehnsucht ewig diirstend fortlebt 1--Und sie, sie selbst ist es, die Herrliche, die, zum Leben gestaltete Ahnung, aus der Seele des KUnstlers hervorleuchtet, als Gesang— Bi1d--Gedicht Ï'

"Der Artushof," Dichtungen, V III, 38: "Das Geschick erfasste mich sichtbarlich, aber mein getrUbter Blick erkannte nicht das hohere Wesen, und vermessen wahnte ich, das, was vom alten Meister ge- schaffen, wunderbar zum Leben erwacht auf mich zutrat, sei meines- gleichen, und ich konne es herabziehen in die klagliche Existenz des irdischen Augenblicks. Nein, nein, Felizitas, nie habe ich dich 62

tribute to the love of the artist, however, is perhaps the frequently

quoted part of a letter to Speyer:

Finden Sie es geraten und tunlichst meinen Namen in der Familie M zu nennen oder Uberhaupt von mir zu reden, so sagen Sie in einem Augenblick des heitern Sonnen- scheins Julien, dass ihr Andenken in mir lebt--darf man d a s namlich nur Andenken nennen, wovon das Innere erfUllt ist, was im geheimnisvollen Regen des hoheren Geistes uns die schonen Traume bringt von dem EntzUcken, dem Gluck, das keine Aerme von Fleisch und Bein zu erfassen, festzuhalten vermogen— (May 1 , 1820)

Jaffe'^ inter prêts Hoffmann's love for Julia as his conscious

recognition of a relatedness of souls:

. . . etwa ein Jahr spater [after writing "Ritter Gluck"] erwahnte Hoffmann in seinem Tagebuch zum ersten Male Julia Marc. Hinter die zweite Eintragung setzte er die unbeholfene Zeichnung eines kleinen Schmetter lings. Anscheinend hatte er in diesem Augenblick seine Seele gefunden; er begegnete ihr aber in einer Projektion. (p. 257)

Similarly Schubert considers the relationship of the lover to his love

as a reflectio n phenomenon:

Zugleich ist jene hochste Liebe ein Spiegel, worinnen die Seele sich taglich selber betrachtet, und erkennen lernt, was sie ohne ihre Liebe war und i s t , (Traum, p. 206)

verloren, du bleibst mein immerdar, denn du selbst bist ja die schaffende Kunst, die in mir leb t."

"Die Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 236: "Und die, die du liebst?- Sie ist kein irdisches Wesen, sie lebt nicht auf der Erde, aber in dir selbst als hohes reines Ideal deiner Kunst, das dich entzUndet, das aus deinen Werken die Liebe aushaucht, die Uber den Sternen thront." "Ha Bruder Berthold," rie f George, indem seine Augen auf- strahlten in himmlischem Feuer, "ha Bruder Berthold, du hast recht, sie—sie selbst ist die Kunst, in der mein ganzes Wesen atmet.-- Nichts habe ich verloren. . . ." 63

This idea is expressed by Nathanael ("Sandmann"), regarding, however, an unsuitable love object: "... nur in Olimpias Liebe finde ich mein selbst wieder" (Dichtungen, l/I, 88 f,).

The adjectives used by Hoffmann to describe this love on an aesthetic plane are taken from the realm of light and fire, reflecting the elements of purity, brightness, and warmth, a heavenly radiance which is far removed from the d estru ctiv e, uncontrolled fire of passion flashing from the eyes and igniting the emotions of those engaged in the profane or demonic love involving only the senses and connected with the elements of insanity and hell-fire. Thus

Hoffmann, like Boehme,^^ makes use of the elements of f ir e to describe the most sublime as well as the most destructive of states,

Schubert, too, points to the relationship between the love that comes from above and the su b stitu te which emanates from below and stresses the difficulty but absolute necessity of distinguishing between them:

Der Geist des natürlichen und leiblichen Menschen befindet sich, seit jenem Augenblicke, wo er der Stimme der Creator, die von unten her war, mehr gehorchte als der Stimme Gottes, seitdem er dieser sein Ohr verschloss und nur jener es offnete, in einem Wahnzustande, worin er nur fur das, was von unten her, was leiblich und sinnlich ist, geoffnete, verstehende Sinnen hat, von dem aber, was ursprUnglich des Geistes war und ist, nichts vernimmt. (Traum, p, l4l)

Auf das leibliche Sehnen der ersten Liebe tragt der Geist den Schein und die Farbe einer ewigen Liebe hinüber, ja er Uberkleidet selbst die Trunkenheit des Leibes mit einem Schein und Farbenschimmer einer ewigen und himmlischen Begeisterung, lasst den von sUssem Wei ne Trunkenen den Schein des Geistes-Trunkenen annehmen und heuchelt auf diese Wei se das Niedrigste zum Engel des L ichts. (Traum, p, 155)

Boehme, quoted in Stoudt, pp, 212, 224, 225. 64

Schubert's designation of physical love as a "Wahnzustand" and the expression "Engel des Lichts" show especially plainly the close relationship in his and Hoffmann's thinking, even though Schubert did not concern himself with art, but only with traditional morality, 13 while in Hoffmann's case almost the reverse was true. Although mistaking physical love for divine love is the commoner error, the reverse is also possible, as Schubert points out (Traum, pp. 102 f.), and as is illustrated in the Aurelie-Medardus relationship:

. . . dem listig e n Feind gelang e s, die tie fe Bedeutung unserer Liebe uns zu verhUllen, ja uns auf entsetzliche Wei se zu verlocken, dass wir das Himmlische nur deuten konnten auf irdische Wei se. . . . (Elixiere, PW II, 356 f .)

For Schubert, even more than for Hoffmann, the connection of physical love with evil and aesthetic love with the Divine is very important.

Schubert concerns himself very little with the possibility of a 19 happy, normal relationship between ordinary lovers, but stresses steadily the great desirability of elevating such a relationship to the sublime, even at the cost of losing the object of one's love to death. Indeed, Schubert considers such a loss as an opportunity to escape from the slavery imposed upon the s p ir it by physical love and

18 Dahmen, "Hoffmann und Schubert," Literaturwissenschaft- 1iches Jahrbuch der Gorresgesel1schaft (Freiburg/Br., 1926), I, 31# Regarding similarities in Schubert's and Hoffmann's thinking; "Hoffmann geht, wie immer . . . bei der geringsten Andeutung relig io ser oder ethischer Wertungen nicht m it. . . ." 19 Schubert, Traum, p. 188: "Ja, die in uns wohnende, jetzt nur auf den gesammten Kreis des Sinnlichen gerichtete Liebe, ist zwar im jetzigen Zustande unseres Oaseins der am tiefsten gesunkene und entartete, aber nicht der unwichtigste Theil unseres Wesens." 65 20 to f i l l the self instead with heavenly love. For Hoffmann, the

substitution of aesthetic for physical love was important primarily

in the case of the artist and his inspiration, for the attempt of

a mortal to attain physical union with the source of his inspiration, whom Hoffmann considered a manifestation of the Divine, was, in

Hoffmann's eyes, sacrilege and could result only in dragging the

Divine down to the sensual level rather than elevating the mortal

to the Heavenly:

Es is t aber das E rbtei1 von uns Schwachen, dass wir an der Erdscholle klebend so gern das Uberirdische hinab- ziehen wollen in die irdische armliche Beengtheit. So wird die Sangerin unsere Geliebte--wohl gar unsere Frau I —Der Zauber ist vernichtet, und die innere Melodie, sonst Herrliches verkiindend, wird zur Klage Uber eine zerbrochene SuppenschUssel oder einen Tintenfleck in neuer Wasche, ("Die Fermate," Dichtungen, I , 223)

In Hoffmann's eyes, the mortal who dared attempt to rise to the level of the Divine was already guilty of a grave fault, and if he succeeded only in sullying and destroying the object of his love and perhaps himself, this was only fair punishment.

In most cases, as the examples in footnote 16 above show,

Hoffmann permitted his artist-heroes to recognize the fallacy in

their attempts at winning their ideals as sweethearts. The out­ standing example where this was not the case is "Die Jesuiterkirche in G.," where the artist Berthold married Angiola, his ideal. The gradual decline of Berthold's image of Angiola from id eal, to human,

20 Schubert, Traum, pp. 144 f . Cf. Hoffmann: "GlUcklich ist der Komponist zu preisen, der niemals mehr im irdischen Leben d i e wiederschaut, die mit geheimnisvol1er Kraft seine innere Musik zu entzUnden wusste," ("Fermate," Dichtungen, I , 223) 66 to demonic is carefully detailed by Hoffmann in phrases that echo 21 Schubert. The fact that the love between Berthold and Angiola was inappropriate is apparent from the start. Angiola's socially elevated position as a princess who stooped to marry a commoner, and thus denounced her royalty, is symbolic of her aesthetically elevated position as an Idealbild who allowed herself to be pulled down into the ugly and prosaic world of reality. Just as important an indication are Hoffmann's descriptions of Angiola's and Berthold's feelings toward each other. When first he saw her, still erroneously believing her a v isio n , Berthold was "wahnsinnig vor EntzUcken"

(PW I I , 501). This situation is fraught with danger, when seen in the light of Hoffmann's symbolism, for the elements of error (she was not a vision) and insanity (his insane rapture) are combined in it. Upon discovering that Angiola was a real person, Berthold

"Jesuiterkirche," PW II: "Berthold war hoch erzUrnt Uber das a 1 berne Gewasch der Leute, die das Himmlische in das gemein Irdische herabziehen wollten. 'Glaubt ihr denn,' sprach er, 'dass solch ein Wesen wandeln konne hier auf Erden? In einer wunderbaren Vision wurde mir das Hochste erschlossenj es war der Moment der KUnstlerweihe'" (p. 502),

". . . ja sie war es selbst—die herrliche Himmelsgestalt, die den Gotterfunken in seiner Brust entzUndet" (p. 503).

". . . nicht die himmlische Maria, nein, ein irdisches Weib, ach, seine Angiola se lb st, stand, auf greuliche Weise v e rz e rrt, vor seines Geistes Augen. . . . seine Kraft war gebrochen, all sein BemUhen . . . nur die ohnmachtige Anstrengung des unverstandigen Kindes" (p. 505).

"Mein Weib gebar mir einen Sohn, das vollendete mein Elend, und der lange verhaltene Groll brach aus in hell aufflammenden Hass. Sie, sie a lle in schuf mein UnglUck. Nein—sie war nicht das Ideal, das mir erschien, nur mir zum rettungslosen Verderben hatte sie trUgerisch jenes Himmelsweibes Gestalt und Gesicht geborgt" (pp. 505 f.), 67 was torn between pain at losing his visionary Ideal and joy at finding her incorporated in human forms

Ein sonderbares GefUhl, wie wenn jahlinger Schmerz susse Traume zerstort, durchzuckte Berthold. . . , Doch . . . durchbebten ihn susse, nie gekannte Schauer, und im Wahn- sinn des EntzUckens hbchster Erdenlust r ie f er aus:—"0, kein Trugbild des Traumas—nein 1 es ist mein Weib, das ich umfange, es nie zu lassen—das meine glUhende dUrstende Sehnsucht stilltl" ("Jesuiterkirche," PW II, $04)

Likewise Angiola was "aflame with torrid love" (PW II, 504), The gentle, illum inating warmth of the a r t i s t 's love had been consumed by the destructive heat of passion, which demolished the "longing" necessary for creative work and changed all too soon into the

"brightly flaming hatred" (PW II, 505) that was to annihilate the lovers and th eir ch ild .

A similar situation occurs in far less detail as a subplot of Kater Murr, involving the artist Leonhard Ettlinger and Furstin

Maria. Hoffmann depicts the sensitive Hedwiga as recognizing clearly the connection between the impropriety of Leonhard's emotions and his eventual psychological breakdown:

Nach einigen Augenblicken des Schweigens fuhr die Prinzessin fort: Der unglUckliche Leonhard liebte ins- geheim meine Mutter, und diese Liebe, schon selbst Wahn- sinn, brach zuletzt aus in Wut und Raserei. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 192)

Nearly as dangerous to the artist as lowering the Ideal to a prosaic level is deserting the Ideal in favor of a prosaic love object:

Es ist bezeichnend, dass das bbse Prinzip gleicherweise ins Banale wie zur Verdammnis lockt, beidemal durch die "Sinnlichkeit", die vom "hoheren Dasein" abzieht. (von Schaukal, p. 267) 68

This is the central problem in "Der goldne Topf," where Anselmus must choose between Serpentina, the denizen of Atlantis, which

Hoffmann specifically designates as the land of Poesy, and Veronika, the ordinary girl who would make a Hofrat of Anselmus. Traditional elements representing good and evil are found in this work on the sides of both rivals for Anselmus' possession. MUhlher's suggestion that Veronika represents "irdische Liebe" and Serpentina "himmlische 22 Liebe" is difficult to accept in view of Serpentine's physical form r and background and especially since she is not really a "classic example" of a Hoffmann Ideal. Anselmus had not treasured her picture in his heart since early childhood, as Hoffmann's heroes otherwise are in the habit of doing, and Serpentina became his bride in the end, without destroying Anselmus' chances as a poet, a situation normally impossible in a Hoffmann work, if we consider Serpentina an Ideal.

Likewise Dahmen's theory that the efforts of old Liese/Veronika are based upon selfishness and egoism whereas Lindhorst/Serpentina advocate submission of the self, thus fitting them into Schubert's categories of low (physical) and high (spiritual and brotherly) 23 love, is not entirely convincing either, for while Veronika's desire to marry Anselmus was certainly based on selfish interest,

MUhlher, "Liebestod und Spiegelmythe," in Z eitsch rift fUr deutsche Philologie, LXVII (Stuttgart, 1942), 43. 23 Hans Dahmen, "E. T. A. Hoffmanns Weltanschauung," in Beitrage zur deutschen Literaturwissenschaft, No. 35 (Marburg a.L., 1929),31 ff. 69

old Liese had no personal interest in the matter whatever, and indeed

attempted to talk Veronika out of her plans. On the other hand, it

was necessary for Serpentina and her s is te rs to capture Anselmus and

two other naive young men, for that was the condition that had to be

met so that their father, Lindhorst, might be released from his

punishment on earth and permitted to return to Atlantis—certainly

a self-centered interest on his part, which he readily admits

(". . , ich wollte, ich ware die beiden iibrigen [Tochter] auch schon

los. . . "Topf," Dichtungen, III, 113).

Inimical and beneficent forces overlap and are subjective in

this work perhaps to a greater extent than in any of Hoffmann's others,

Lindhorst appears positively at times, as a "GeisterfUrst" and appar­

ently direct descendent of the radiant Phosphorus, but usually he is

g ru ff, and sometimes c ru e l, as when he traps Anselmus and his un­

fortunate predecessors in bottles. He also throws suspicion on his

background when he te lls Anselmus:

. . , Serpentina liebt dich, und ein seltsames Geschick, dessen Verhangnisvollen Faden feindliche Machte spannen, ist erfUllt, wenn sie dein wird, und wenn du als not- wendige M itgift den goldnen Topf e rh a lts t, der ihr Eigen- tum i s t , Aber nur dem Kampfe en tsp riesst dein Gluck im hoheren Leben, Feindliche Prinzipe fallen dich an, und nur die innere K raft, mit der du den Anfechtungen wider- stehst, kann dich retten von Schmach und Verderben, ("Topf," Dichtungen, III, 60 f ,)

Obviously two unrelated "inimical forces" are at work here, Veronika

and Liese are the "inimical principles" that will assail Anselmus,

but the "inimical forces" which "spun the thread" of Lindhorst's fate are his own inappropriate emotions of long ago—his forbidden love

for the lily, his rebellion against Phosphorus' command, and his 70 2k senseless destruction of the garden. Such a display of self-will and attempted self-elevation to a position usurping the rightful authority of a higher force is always a dangerous course of action, according to Hoffmann, and i t frequently calls forth punishment by the higher force affronted. Thus the source of the inimical forces which Lindhorst places at the root of his misfortunes is really found within himself, although it is possible that Lindhorst does not recognize this fact and still blames Phosphorus and the gardener gnome for his exile, a highly subjective definition of "inimical forces" on the part of Lindhorst.

Liese appears alternately in the trappings of a typical witch and the guise of a sympathetic mother fig u re, who, like Aurora

("Elementargeist"), claims she plays her sometimes negative role involuntarily:

"Still, Kind—still I" unterbrach sie die Alte, "ich weiss, was du sagen willst, ich bin das worden, was ich bin, weil ich es werden musste, ich konnte nicht anders." ("Topf," Dichtungen, III, 50)

Jaffe'identifies her with Hoffmann's nature goddess (pp. 289 f.), as has been mentioned. But Anselmus rejects Liese completely and considers her a devil-figure:

"Lass ab von mir, Satans-Geburt," schrie der Student Anselmus voiler Grimm, "nur deine hollischen KUnste haben mich zu dem Frevel g ereizt, den ich nun abbUssen muss. . . . Hebe dich weg--hebe dich weg—du schnoder Wechselbal g S' ("Topf," Dichtungen, I I I , 98)

2k "Topf," Dichtungen, I I I , 77: "Da e rg riff den Salamander der Wahnsinn der Verzweiflung, und er rannte, Feuer und Flammen sprUhend, durch den Garten und verheerte ihn in wilder Wut. . . ." 71

At the same time, he accepts unquestioningly the radical and alternating changes in Lindhorst's character and appearance and elevates Serpentina, in her role as the artist's inspiration, to the position of a goddess to whom he prays for deliverance from

the prison of the glass bottle:

Da schrie er auf in \Zerzweiflung: "0 Serpentina— Serpentina, rette mich von dieser Hbllenqual I" ("Topf," Dichtungen, I I I , 95)

Lindhorst enabled Anselmus to experience the idea1 world of poesy, and indeed be snatched up bodily and spiritually into this realm, completely out of reach of the mundane world except by means of dreams, which

Hoffmann considered messengers from a higher plane. In spite of the negative elements present in Lindhorst's make-up and the questionable appropriateness of the match with Serpentina, the two worked un­ ceasingly to further the causa of poesy in Anselmus, while Liese and

Veronika trie d to destroy i t . For Hoffmann, this is the decisive factor which outweighs all others. Those elements which further the in te rests of a rt are autom atically appropriate and good; those which seek to hinder or destroy art must themselves be relentlessly destroyed or at least avoided.

A modified version of the "Topf" trian g le is to be found in

"Brautwahl," where Leonhard, A lbertine, and Edmund Lehsen form almost exact counterparts to Lindhorst, Veronika, and Anselmus. The role of

Serpentina is taken by the abstract idea of the artist's life and

Leonhard successfully e x tricates Lehsen out of the arms of the prosaic Albertine and sends him to Ita ly , a land which, for Hoffmann, was only slightly less fantastic and unattainable than Atlantis itself. 72

Here, again, Hoffmann draws a plain relationship between inappro­ priate love and insanity, for when Lehsen objected to Leonhard's scheme to substitute a trip to Italy for Albertine's company,

Leonhard told him: "Aber ich will Euern irren Zorn Eurer wahn- sinnigen Verliebtheit zugute halten—" ("Brautwahl," Dichtungen,

VII, 210), Albertine's second suitor, a pedantic old schoolfellow of her father, was soundly rejected by nearly all concerned as a suitable match for the young g i r l . Thus:

Leonhard: "Herr, ich glaube Sie sind vom Teufel besessen oder total wahnsinnig?" (p, 159),

Albertine: , entweder sind Sie schon am Vormittage in die Wein- stube geraten , , , oder von einem seltsamen Wahnsinn heimgesucht" (pp, 199 f,).

Lehsen: "VerrUckter, Uberlastiger Satan I" (p, 201),

The connection between this insane love and demonic forces is also much in evidence in two of the above examples, and Lehsen's descrip­ tion of his feelings for Albertine indicates that they are too heated to be beneficial to his art: ", . , so sehr mein Inneres entbrannt ist in Liebe zu der holden Albertine , . ," (p, 211),

Demonic Love

Although Hoffmann's artists are most frequently tempted by love for their Ideals or for ordinary girls who would interfere with their artistic careers, they are not entirely immune to temptation from love objects who are projections of the inimical force itself.

The long series of unsavory misalliances, instances of incest, and adultery in Elixiere began with the love of the painter Francesko for the witch Venus, who was also a kind of Idealbild, although she 73

originated not from the ethereal realms of the world of true (in

this work, Christian) art, but from the "false, deceptive splendor

of the heathen world" (PW II, 289) of the ancient Greek gods, who 25 are associated in this work with Satan and the underworld. In­

variably the numerous inappropriate love matches in th is novel are

described in terms of insanity, devilishness, fire, and heat. Thus

Francesko's unnatural love for the Venus he has created; "Er heulte

vor wahnsinniger Begier .... und gebardete sich wie einer, der

von dem Satan besessen" (PW II, 293 f ).

The heathen world in connection with the demonic plays a

role also in "Der Kampf der Sanger," where Heinrich von Ofterdingen

is, for a time, under control of the dark powers and succeeds in

temporarily winning over Mathilde. Nasias' (whose name signifi­ cantly is a near anagram of Satanas) song deals with "the beautiful

Helen and the rapturous joys of the Venusberg" (Dichtungen, X, 103).

But the connection of th is demonic love with the fire s of Hell is

not lacking, although these fires are somewhat disguised:

In der Tat klang das Lied gar verlockend, und es war, als wenn die Flammen, die Nasias um sich sprUhte, zu lUsterne Begierde und Liebeslust atmenden DUften wUrden, in denen die sUssen Tone auf- und niederwogten, wie gaukelnde Liebesgotter. (Dichtungen, X, IO3 )

The change in Heinrich von Ofterdingen's feelings for Mathilde from the shy, gentle love for an Ideal into a consuming passion is plainly

25 The basic situ atio n in th is portion of the novel is nearly identical with the plot of Eichendorff's "MarmorbiId." 74 shown in the description of Heinrich's dream and the realization i t awakened in him:

Ich fUhlte mich ruhig, eine sanfte wohltuende Warme glitt durch mein Inneres. Es war mir, als schwamme ich im weiten Himmelsraum daher auf dunklen Wolken. Da fuhr ein funkelnder Blitz durch die Finsternis, und ich schrie laut auf: "Mathilde?' Ich erschrak darUber, denn ich glaubte, dass Flur und Wald, dass a lle Berge, a llé Klüfte den sUssen Namen widertonen, dass tausend Stimmen es ihr selbst sagen wUrden, wie unaussprechlich bis zum Tode ich sie liebe; dass sie--sie der funkelnde Stern sei, der in mein Innerstes strahlend alien zehrenden Schmerz trostloser Sehnsucht geweckt, ja dass nun die Liebesf1ammen hoch emporgelodert, und dass meine Seele diir ste--schmachte nach ihrer Schonheit und Holdseligkeit I ("Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 69)

Wolfframb von Eschinbach, to whom Heinrich confessed his love, was torn between loyalty to his friend and his own reciprocated love for

Mathilde. The following quotation is very similar to Hedwiga's description of Ettlinger's love for her mother (Murr).

Den Blick zur Erde gesenkt, sass er da und sann und sann wie nun der Freund zu retten von dem Wahnsinn torichter Leidenschaft, die ihn ins Verderben stürzen musste. (Dichtungen, X, 70)

Although Wolfframb could not foresee that Mathilde, too, was in danger, his prediction of unhappiness for Heinrich was realized when Heinrich's desire to win Mathilde led him into league with the dark powers connected with Klingsohr, pulling Mathilde after him into a state of mind described by observers as insanity.

Most of the Hoffmann heroes who succumb to really evil love-objects are not artists, perhaps because the artists usually possess the attributes of a (sometimes rather naive) native wisdom or instinct concerning the recognition and/or avoidance of evil, as befits them in their role of interpreters of divine truth to 75 2é man. Thus Kreisler instinctively recognized evil in Prince Hektor

and could confidently instruct Julia, whom he considered a kindred

s p ir it in the a rt of music, simply to ignore evil and she would be

safe;

In gleisnerischer Verkappung gehen die Geister der Nolle durch die Welt, aber sie haben keine Macht Uber dich und du darfst sie nicht erkennen in ihrem schwarzen Tun und Treibenl (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 264)

Kreisler's confidence was rewarded, for Julia, although attracted

to the handsome fiance of her friend Princess Hedwiga, sensed that 27 he was evil and overcame her attraction for him, in spite of his

feelings for her, described as "Liebeswut" and "die Raserei der

heftigsten Leidenschaft" (Murr, Dichtungen,V, 398), Kreisler's

advice was to prove less successful later when Julia also ignored

her mother's malevolence in arranging her engagement to the idiotic

Ignaz.

26 Schelling, "Vorlesungen Uber die Methode des akademischen Studiums. Vierzehnte Vorlesung. Ueber Jissenschaft der Kunst, in Be- zug auf das akademische Studium," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 367 , 3^9! "Ich rede von einer heiligeren Kunst, derjenigen, welche, nach den AusdrUcken der A lten, ein Werkzeug der Got te r , eine VerkUnderin g o tt- licher Geheimnisse, die EnthUllerin der Ideen ist, von der ungebornen Schonheit, deren unentweihter Strahl nur reine Seel en inwohnend er- leuchtet, und deren Gestalt dem sinnlichen Auge ebenso verborgen und unzuganglich ist als die der gleichen Wahrheit" (p. 367).

"Wer kann, so hore ich fragen, von jenem gottlichen Princip, das den Kunst1er treibt, jenem geistigen Hauch, der seine Werke beseelt, wUrdig reden, als wer selbst von dieser heiligen Flamme ergriffen ist?" (p. 369 ). 27 Mun , Dichtungen, V, 397: "Wohl der holden, frommen Julia, dass sie Kraft genug besass, den bosen Geist zu beschworen, ihm keinen Raum zu verstatten, in dem er fest fussen konnen." 76

These instincts regarding evil are lacking, or very weak, however, in a number of non-artists. Erasmus Spikher ("Silvester-

Nacht"), with a monumental display of bad judgment of character, fell immediately into the trap of the inimical force in the form of a traditional devil-figure, Dapertutto, and his beautiful hand­ maiden, Giulietta:

. . . Erasmus warf sich wie im Wahnsinn vor G iulietta nieder, drUckte ihre beiden Hande an seine Brust und rief: "Ja, d u bist es, dich habe ich immerdar, dich, du Engelsbildl—Dich habe ich geschaut in meinen Traumen, du b is t mein Gllick, meine S elig k eit, mein hoheres Leben I . . . du flammst in mir mit verzehrender Glut." ("S ilv ester- Nacht," Dichtungen, VI, 30 f.) 28 The love-insanity combination is stressed repeatedly, and even when Erasmus' suspicions were aroused and confirmed, he could not resist Giulietta until his wife saved him from selling his soul.

But even she could not help him regain his mirror image, without which he was doomed to remain a misfit in the world.

In a very similar plot, the naive Eugenius ("Datura fastuosa") guilelessly succumbed to the wiles of the sham countess Gabriel la

Mora (Gabriel la and her pseudofather Angelo Mora are significantly named, for they do, indeed, function as "black angels" in sharp contrast to Gretchen, whom Sever describes as "an angel of light"

[Dichtungen, IX, 296] and to "the Father of Light" by whom the old

28 "Si Ivester-Nacht," Dichtungen, VI: "Der wahnsinnigen Leidenschaft, die den Erasmus entflammt. . . ." (p. 32); "Da rief Erasmus wahnsinnig vor totendem Liebesschmerz: 'Muss ich denn fort von dir?'" (p. 36 ); "Wahnsinnig vor Liebe und Lust, schloss er sie in seine Arme. . . . 'Giulietta," rief er, 'soil ich denn rasend werden in der Liebe zu d ir? " ' (pp. 45 f . ) . 77

Widow Helms hopes soon to be summoned ["Datura," Dichtungen, IX,

286]), and saw in her as Erasmus Spikher did in Giulietta, a

"heavenly creature" and "goddess of love" whose voice sounded like 29 the "tones of Heaven." The references to fire, heat, and insanity

are again very numerous, indicating strongly the demonic nature of

Gabriel la and her cohorts and the falseness and danger of her love 30 affair with Eugenius. Like Dapertutto, Fermino Valies was

interested in winning a soul and used the same methods--the

attractions of a beautiful but evil woman.

As final examples, one may consider the works "Die Bergwerke

zu Falun," "Der Sandmann," and "Der Elementargeist." The two la tte r

works are again companion pieces as far as plot is concerned. Here

again the naive young men are drawn under the power of sinister

representatives of the inimical force who use as a lure attractive

"women" who are not human at all, but a mechanical doll and an

elemental s p i r i t , respectively. Obviously a match between these creatures and human beings would be intrinsically unsuitable, as

Hoffmann thoroughly demonstrates, again by means of adjectives and

descriptions suggesting insanity and hell-fire when the victims'

"Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 276, 278 } "Si 1vester-Nacht," Dichtungen, VI, 30, 31.

"Datura," Dichtungen, IX; ", . , ihr folgerechtes Be- tragen [das] den Jiingling in immer starkerer, immer verzehrenderer Liebesglut entflammte" (p. 282); "'UnglUcklicher I' r ie f Eugenius ganz ausser sich . . . 'du storst den Wahnsinnigen auf aus dem Traum seiner Betorung I—Ich liebe Gabriel la. . . ." (p. 283), 78 31 emotions are discussed. O'Malley and Coppelius embody typical attributes of the traditional Satan. They appear to be supernatural but negative, destructive beings who diffuse a tangibly evil atmos­ phere discernible to sensitive observers and demand absolute obe­ dience from those in their power. Thus the reader is not told how

Aurora and the father of Nathanael came under the power of their masters, but only that their slavery was complete;

Der Vater betrug sich gegen ihn [Coppelius] als sei er ein hoheres Wesen, dessen Unarten man dulden und das man auf jede Wei se bei guter Laune erhalten musse. ("Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 57)

Dir ganz anzugehoren, war mein seligster Wunschj aber nur halb sind die Ketten gesprengt, die mich an den Thron fesseln, dem das Volk, dem ich angehore, unter- wUrfig ist. Doch je starker, je machtiger deine Herr- schaft wind, desto freier fUhle ich mich von der qual- vollen Sklaverei. ("Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 248)

Throughout both stories the villains are regularly referred to by other characters as "Satan" and are considered to be manifestations 32 of the inimical force.

"Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI: "Glaubte ich indessen im Wahnsinn des glUhendsten Entzuckens den Gipfel des Glucks zu erreichen, so entschwand sie mir. . ." (p. 247); "• • . in der folgen- den Nacht . . . beschwor ich sie in den rUhrendsten Worten, wie die hellodernde Glut der Liebe . . . sie mir eingab. . . ," "Brennende KUsse fUhlte ich auf meinen Lippen . . ." (p. 248); e tc .

"Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI: "Er sass neben Olimpia, ihre Hand in der seini gen, und sprach hochentflammt und begeistert von seiner Liebe . . . " (p. 86); ". . . brennendes Verlangen im Herzen . . ." (p. 91); e tc , 32 "Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI: "Der Major lachte hinter mir her. Ich vernahm das Hohnlachen des Satans" (p. 249); 79

Closely related to "Sandmann" and "Elementargeist" is also the work "Die Bergwerke zu Falun," but here the non-human woman in question, the queen of the mine, exists only in the hero's mind and is never seen by anyone else, as is not the case in

"Elementargeist" or "Sandmann,"

Inappropriate Love

The importance for Hoffmann of appropriateness, or lack of it, in the love affairs he depicted is recognized by Hans Dahmen, who

"Aber da war allés verstoben—beide eilfertig abgegangen durch die Wand, der Herr Major Satan und die Mamsell Beelzebubi" (p. 253); etc.

The Major is called "den unheimlichen Geist, der bestimmt war, auf verstorende Wei se einzugreifen in mein Leben , , ," (p, 224); "Es soil Euch vergonnt sein, einen Blick in ein dunkles Reich zu tun, das Ihr nicht ahnet, und das Euch verderblich erfassen kann l--Ich warne Euch indessen vorher und gebe Euch zu bedenken, dass Euer Gemlit nicht stark genug sein konnte, manches zu ertragen, das mir ein ergotzliches Spiel dUnkt" (p, 228); ", , , ich versank in jenen Zustand des wirren Traumens, den ich fur unnatUrlich, fur die Wirkung irgend eines fremden Prinzips [namely O'Malley] erkennen musste" (p. 252); etc,

"Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI : "'Coppelius, verruchter Satan, du hast den Vater erschlagen I'—so schrie ich auf , , ," (p, 61); "Oann fuhr er schnell mit der Faust herUber oder brachte wohl gar das Glas an die blauen Lippen und lachte recht teuflisch , , ," (p, 57); "Ein grass- 1icher krampfhafter Schmerz schien seine [the father's] sanften ehrlichen ZUge zum hasslichen widerwartigen Teufelsbilde verzogen zu haben, Er sah dem Coppelius ahnlich" (p, 58).

"Nur dann, wenn Nathanael bewies, dass Coppelius das bose Prinzip sei, was ihn , . , erfasst habe , , , und dass dieser widerwartige Damon auf entsetzliche Wei se ihr LiebesglUck storen werde, da wurde Clara sehr ernst und sprach: 'Ja, Nathanael ', du hast recht, Coppelius ist ein boses feindliches Prinzip, er kann Entsetzliches wirken wie eine teuflische Macht, die sichtbarlich in das Leben trat, aber nur dann, wenn du ihn nicht aus Sinn und Gedanken verbannst" (p, 74); e tc . 80

even manages to c ite a few positive words on the subject by

S chubert.B oth Dahmen and Schubert stress the aesthetic and

refining qualities rather than the physical aspects of an appropriate

love match, and Dahmen uses as an example Anselmus' greatly increased

understanding of nature after his union with Serpentina.

Two instances of inappropriate love, which resultantly tempts

the inimical force to violence are the marriages of Eugenius and the

Widow Helms {Datura fastuosa"), already mentioned above, and of Graf

Filippo and Grafin S. (E lix ie re ) , in which cases one partner was o il much too old for the other. A similar situation exists in "Doge

und Dogaressa" and "Signor Formica." In the latter work, old Capuzzi

is repeatedly described in terms of insanity and hellishness because

of his inappropriate love for his niece Marianna;

"Die arme Marianna", sprach Salvator, "wird von dem wahn­ sinnigen Alten auf hollische Wei se gequalt. . . . Dabei ist er so bis zur Tollheit eifersUchtig. . . ." ("Formica," Dichtungen, VIII, 274; see also pp. 2/0, 272, 273, 282, 289, 290, etc.)

But while Salvator Rosa succeeds in rescuing the girl before Capuzzi can marry her, in "Doge und Dogaressa," a work steeped in references

to the eternal force, which is credited repeatedly with guiding

Dahmen, "Hoffmann und Schubert," Literaturwissenschaft- 1iches Jahrbuch der Gorresgesei1schaft (Freiburg/Br., 1926), I, 88 f .

E lix ie re , PW I I , 299: "Schon fUnfundzwanzig Jahre war Francesko alt worden, als der Graf Filippo in torichter Liebe zu einem armen bildschonen Fraulein entbrannte und sie heiratete, unerachtet sie blutjung, er aber schon sehr hoch in Jahren war." 81

Antonio's life, the young Dogaressa Annunziata is doomed to experience only inappropriate love on the parts of her octogenarian husband

Marino Falieri ("Der a lte Doge schmunzelte sie wieder an in torichtem

Prunk und faselnder E ite lk e it. . . [Dichtungen, X, 105]) and young dandies ("Keiner von alien war aber so heftig in wildem Liebesfeuer entbrannt fur die schone Dogaressa als Michaele Steno." [X, 154]), whom she did not love, until her rescue by Antonio.

As examples of the numerous incestuous and adulterous love affa irs to be found in E lix ie re , there may be mentioned the cases of the foundling Francesko, who was able to win the heart of his youth­ ful stepmother, Grafin S., only by means of "devilish arts" (PW II,

300); and Pietro, who was "inflamed with violent love" for Vittoria, the fiancee of his half-brother, Paolo Frencesko (PW II, 3OI), while

Paolo Francesko was himself "passionately aflame" with infatuation for his half-sister Angiola (PW II, 301). Similar descriptions abound for all the other inappropriate love affairs in the novel.

The impropriety of his affections for the noble lady of the house, the young Baroness Seraphine, was quite apparent to Theodor, the young hero of "Das Majorat," as well as to his sage great uncle, and Hoffmann employs again the elements of insanity in describing the relatio n sh ip , from Theodor's point of view and from the uncle

V .'s:

Ich sah, ich horte nur sie, aber bewusst war ich mir deut- lich und bestimmt, dass es abgeschmackt, ja wahnsinnig sein wUrde, irgend eine Liebelei zu wagen. . . . (Dichtungen, I I , 79)

Ich bitte dich, Vetter, widerstehe der Narrheit, die dich mit aller Macht ergriffen'.—Wisse, dass dein Beginnen, so 82

harmlos wie es schaint, die entsetzlichsten Folgen haben kann, du stehst in .achtlosem Wahnsinn auf diinner Eisdecke, die bricht unter dir, ehe du dich es verstehst, und du plumpst hinein. . . . ("Majorat," Dichtungen, II, 89 f c f. also p. 99)

The elements of fire are utilized also, but to a rather limited 35 degree. Since this work is generally considered to be based upon Hoffmann's mature reminiscences of his youthful love affair with Dora Hatt, it is not surprising that the passages describing

Theodor's feelings for Seraphine suggest similar passages from

Hoffmann's le tte rs to Hippel regarding Dora:

Du bist vielleicht der einzige, der nichts arges gegen mich im Sinne hatte und der mich keinen Narren heisst, weil ich es wagte, gegen die Konvention zu lieben. (September, 1795)

Du hast allés in Anschlag gebracht, nur nicht, dass,ich sie bis zum Unsinn liebe. . . . (January 10, 1796)

Other matches inappropriate for reasons varying more or less from those mentioned above occur in "Meister Floh," where a romance be­ tween Dortje Elverdink and Peregrinus Tyss is judged negatively by

Hoffmann, presumably and understandably because in a previous lif e ,

Dortje had been Peregrinus' daughter,^^ and in "Das ode Haus," where

"Das Majorat," Dichtungen, II, 99: ", . . verderbliches G ift, das ich in jenem Kusse eingesogen, garte und flammte in alien Pulsen. . . ." See also p. 98.

"Um mich her ist hier Eiskalte, . . , und ich brenne und werde von meiner innern Glut verzehrt" (January 11, 1796),

"Floh," Dichtungen, III, 506: "'Zwar konnte es fur gefahrlich zu achten sein, dass Ihr in heftiger Liebe entbrannt seid zu dem holden Wesen—' 'Was sagt Ih r,'—unterbrach Peregrinus den kleinen Unsichtbaren, 'was sagt Ihr, Meister, ich—ich entbrannt in Liebe?' 'Es ist nicht anders,' fuhr Meister Floh fort. . . ." "Floh," Dichtungen, III, 517: ". . . da fasste den Herrn Peregrinus Tyss der voile Wahnsinn der Leidenschaft . . . ." 83

Angelika's love for her sister's husband forms a more realistically improper situation which culminates in Angelika's incurable insanity and her lover's death. Similarly, the fact that Xaver's infatuation for Hermenegi1 da, his cousin's fiancee' was too unsuitable not to end badly, Hoffmann is careful to point out from the s ta r t:

. . . und nun stromten die Beteurungen der glUhendsten Liebe, wie sie nur dem Wahnsinn der verzehrendsten Leiden­ schaft eigen, von seinen Lippen. ("GelUbde," Dichtungen, I I , 36)

Dass er bis zum Wahnsinn in Hermenegi1 da, in die Braut des verwandten Freundes, verliebt sei, fUhlte er nur zu lebhaft, ebenso aber auch, dass er bei jedem Schritt, den er zugunsten seiner torichten Leidenschaft zu tun gesonnen, sich wUrde treulosen Freundschaftsbruch vor- werfen mUssen. ( II , 36 f .)

Even the brief attraction felt by the young seminarian Medardus for the concertmaster's sister (Elixiere) is, of course, branded from the start with adjectives denoting heat and insanity.^ Other examples of inappropriate matches occur in the following: (1) Kater Murr, where the spoiled and unscrupulous princes, Hektor and Cyprian, both loved Angela, Cyprian's bridej^^ (2) "Der unheimliche Cast," where

E lix ie re , Dichtungen, IV: " . . . nie gekannte GefUhle regten sich stUrmisch in mir und trieben das glUhende Blut durch die Adern ..." (p. 22). "... zuweilen war es mir, als musste ich sie wie in toller Liebeswut an mich reissen. . . . Sie . . . liess . . . einen ihrer Handschuhe liegen, den e rg riff ich und drUckte ihn im Wahnsinn heftig an den Mund Î' (pp. 23 f . ) .

Murr, Dichtungen, V, 522: Hektor's emotions are de­ scribed by Cyprian as "wahnsinnige Liebe," and Cyprian describes his own feelings: ". . . alle Furien der Eifersucht zerfleischten meine Brust. Da war ich dem Graus der Hoi le verfangen." 84

Marguerite's love for Moritz and Graf S—i's love for Moritz' fiancee

Angelika leads them to joint efforts in attempting to separate the young lo v e rs,a n d (3) "Aus dem Leben dreier r Freunde," Fi where only 41 one of the three friends could marry Pauline.

Proper Love

A harmonious physical relationship between ordinary people, or even an artist and a suitable partner who did not also function as the source of in sp iratio n , was, for Hoffmann, quite acceptable and d esirab le. Examples of such a relationship abound in his works and are of passing interest in connection with this study only as a source of comparison, a kind of norm with which the divinely in­ spired love of the artist on the one hand, and the demonically in­ spired love for the evil woman on the other, may be contrasted.

Instances of proper love occur prominently in the following works:

"Meister Floh" (Peregrinus Tyss and Roschen Lammerhirt), "Klein Zaches genannt Zinnober" (Balthasar and Candida), "Prinzessin Brambilla"

(Giglio Fava and G iacinta), "Der Artushof" (Traugott and Dorina),

"Signor Formica" (Antonio and Marianna), "Datura fastuosa" (Eugenius and Gretchen), "Das steinerne Herz" (Max and J u lie ), "Doge und

Dogaressa" (Antonio and Annunziata), "Meister Martin der KUfner und

"Gast," Dichtungen, VI, 120, 123. 4l "Ein Fragment aus dem Leben dreier Freunde," Dichtungen, V III, 140, 148, 150, 161. 85

seine Gesellen" (Friedrich and Rosa), "Meister Johannes Wacht"

(Jonathan and Nanni), "Der unheimliche Gast" (Moritz and Angelika),

A comparison of Hoffmann's descriptions of these love affairs shows

that this type of relationship consists of elements of both the

heavenly and demonic loves, the heat and brightness tempered and

sweetened sufficiently to make them palatable for ordinary consumption

in the everyday world of ordinary mortals, and the element of insanity

is lacking entirely. The following examples are typical of all cases

mentioned above,

Aber Dorina kam ihm o ft in Gedanken als sein liebes Weib, susse Schauer durchbebten ihn, eine sanfte Glut durch- strb'mte seine Adern .... ("Artushof," Dichtungen, V III, 33)

Dann folgten, wie es unter Liebesleuten nicht anders zu geschehen pflegt, tausend Versicherungen, tausend Schwiire ewiger Liebe und Treue, Und dabei umfingen sie sich und drückten sich mit der Inbrunst der innigsten Zartlichkeit an die Brust und waren ganz und gar umflossen von a lle r Wonne, von allem Entzucken des hochsten Himmels. ("Klein Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 236 )

Die Kinder waren ein Herz und eine Seele, die Jungfrau, der Jung ling nur eine rein und unausloschlich emporlodernde Liebesflamme, ("Meister Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 293 f .)

Special mention might well be given only to the lovers in "Doge," who were permitted only a brief time together before they were drowned;

"Antonio—mein Antonio--ich liebe dich unaussprechlich-- ja es gibt noch einen Himmel auf Erden'," . . , , Unter tausend Klissen, unter tausend Tranen schwuren sich die Liebenden ewige Treue, sie vergassen die furchtbaren Ereignisse der schrecklichsten Tage, den Blick von der Erde abgewandt, schauten sie auf in den Himmel, den ihnen der Geist der Liebe erschlossen, ("Doge," Dichtungen, X, I 83) 86

The love of Antonio and Annunziata resembles the artist's love, for it was too perfect to belong to the earth, but rather had to ». wait to be consummated in death and the world beyond.

The Ultimate Degree of Error ; Insanity

The fact that physical and mental illn ess assume the character of inimical forces in Hoffmann's works is not surprising in view of the prominent places they occupied in his life, the former as a fre­ quent and genuine burden, the latter as a persistent fear. In

"Meister Wacht" and "Des Vetters Eckfenster," both late works, Hoff­ mann referred to physical illness as "the worst enemy of life, against which no human power can do anything" ("Wacht," Dichtungen,

X, 283) and "the bad demon" ("Eckfenster," Dichtungen, XI, 35^)» but i t was mental illn ess with which his writing was more concerned, not only in the form of characters who were completely insane and had lost possession of their original selves, but even more with eccentrics who retained their id en tities and who departed from the norm, perhaps in only one area, where th eir thinking was in error and they were unwilling or unable to recognize the truth. The title character in

"Baron von B.," Mr. Ewson (Elixiere), and Cardillac ("Fraulein von

Scuderi") are examples of such partial lunatics, and the fixed ideas of Meister Wacht and Meister Martin place them on the borderline of this condition. The fact that Hoffmann considered such eccentricities dangerous, especially with regard to his own case, is recognized by von

Schaukal:

Er schreibt; "Wie sehr wirkt Ktch auf mein GemLith—so dass ein klein[er] Wahnsinn in diesem Pu[nk]t unverkennbar 87

ist—es ist die fixe Idee. (Wir kennen anderseits seine Angst vor der "fixen Idee", nach ihm der Keim des Wahn- sinns, den er als seinen unsichtbar ihn Uberfallenden Feind fU rchtet.) (von Schaukal, p. $4; quotation from diary , June 21, 1812)

From Schubert, Hoffmann learned:

Die meisten Wahnsinnigen verloren den Gebrauch ihrer Vernunft durch Leidenschaften. Jahzorn, Hass, heftiger Geiz, Ubermassige Zerstreuungssucht, wilde Begierde und heftige Zuneigung, jedes Fixiren der Seele auf einen ihrem ei gent lichen Bediirfniss unangemessenen Gegenstandj unter alien Leidenschaften am meisten aber der Hoch- muth und der vielleicht schon bei einer schlechten Er- ziehung nie gebrochene Wille erregen Wahnsinn. (Traum, p. 162)

Since Hoffmann considered his upbringing to have been poor, and his love for Julia might well be described as a "fervent attachment" and

"fixation of the soul upon object unsuitable to its requirements," his fear for his sanity, in the light of his admiration for Schubert, is almost understandable. Medardus (Elixiere) recognized the danger 42 in a fixed idea, and Hermogen's constant preoccupation with his guilt regarding his affair with his stepmother led to his insanity.

Schelling believed that man's illness resulted from a misuse of the freedom granted him by God and he equated illness with evil and sin , considering them a reversal of the situ atio n which e x ists

4 'î when man is in harmony with God and his universal will. These

42 Elixiere, PW II, 57s "... in den Klostermauern ein- geschlossen, immer von denselben Gegenstanden umgeben, immer brUtend und hineinzehrend in das Innere, hatte mich jene Vision, der die Einsamkeit glUhendere, keckere Farben lieh, zum Wahnsinn gebracht,"

Schelling, "Menschliche F re ih e it," Werke, Hauptband IV, 257 f. 88 ideas are incorporated into Hoffmann's thinking and appear especially clearly in "Das ode Haus" and E lix ie re :

Gibt es geheimnisvolle tatige Krafte, die mit bedrohlichen Angriffen auf uns zutreten, so kann uns dagegen nur irgend eine Abnormitat im geistigen Organism Kraft und Mut zum sieghaften Widerstande rauben. Mit einem Wort, nur geistige Krankheit—die SUnde macht uns untertan dem damonischen Prinzip. (Quoting "the elderly man," "Das ode Haus," Dichtungen, IX, I 63 )

Ach, je mehr Sie sich bemUhen, die Saiten in meinem Innern anzuschlagen, die sonst harmonisch erklangen, desto mehr fUhle ich, wie des Schicksals eherne Faust mich ergriffen, mich erdriickt hat, so dass, wie in einer zerbrochenen Laute, nur Misstone in mir wohnen I (Quoting Hermogen, E lix ie re , PW I I , 62)

The combination of insanity-disharmony-evil is utilized rather widely by Hoffmann, p articu larly , as one would expect, in works dealing with music (or a r t ) , in some of which the p o ssib ility of using music (or art) for evil or misguided purposes is explored. Since Hoffmann considered music, poorly performed, an especially excruciating torture, his associating it with satanic powers and insanity is not at all surprising. But his love for good music also led him to recognize in it a potential power of near hypnotic force for good and for evil.

Thus Seraphine's husband accused Theodor of pushing her via music into a situation which threatened to sever her already somewhat tenuous hold on reality:

Sie exaltieren meine Frau durch Spiel und Gesang, und als sie in dem bodenlosen Meere traumerischer Visionen und

44 "Johannes Kreislers, des Kapellmeisters, musikalische Leiden," Dichtungen, I: "Wahrhaftig, mit keiner Kunst wird so viel verdammter Missbrauch getrieben, als mit der herrlichen, heiligen Musika, die in ihrem zarten Wesen so leicht entweiht wird!" (p. 11). "0 Satan, Satan I welcher deiner hollischen Geister ist in diese Kehle gefahren, der alle Tone zwickt und zwangt und zerrt" (p. 9} c f. pp. 6, 13). 89 Ahnungen, die Ihre Musik wie ein boser Zauber herauf- beschworen h at, ohne Halt und Steuer umherschwimmt, drUcken Sie sie hinunter in die Tiefe mit der Erzahlung eines unheimlichen Spuks, der Sie oben im Gerichtssaal geneckt haben soil. ("Majorat," Dichtungen, II, 108)

Mathilde ("Kampf der Sanger," Dichtungen, X, 84), Zulema/Julia ("Das

Sanctus," Dichtungen, VIII, 95), and the young noblewoman ("Kreisler's

Lehrbrief," Dichtungen I, 82) were led astray, the latter two irrevoca­ bly, by "the evil intention of an inimical force, demonic misuse of music" ("Lehrbrief," Dichtungen I, 87).

Hoffmann regularly makes a distinction between pious art and heathen, sensual art. The latter is always represented as being evil, as in "Feind" (Dichtungen, II, 3DD) and Elixiere (PW II, 289 ff.), and characterized by an enthusiasm on the part of the artist which borders on insanity.

For Hoffmann, the concept of the abyss indicated not only the nether world of satanical forces, but also the realm of insanity, both areas being equally far removed from the ra tio n a l, everyday world of reality, but at the same time, a constant threat to existence in this rational world. Not arbitrarily did Hoffmann depict Viktorin's be­ coming insane as a result of his fall into an abyss (Elixiere). The fall itself is a physical representation of the psychological situation which took place. While Viktorin was by no means a virtuous character before his fall into the abyss, afterwards he became solely an instru­ ment of e v il, Medardus' worse half and the personification of in san ity ,

Elixiere, PW II, 261 f. It is difficult to imagine a more frightening representation of the victim's struggle against insanity than these paragraphs describing Medardus' attempts to free himself from Viktorin, the embodiment of insanity in the double, clinging to his back. 90 46 having lost his own personality completely. Serapion tells how

he, too, entered upon his present (insane) existence by means of a

fall,^^ and Elis Frobom lost touch with reality when he descended

into the pit of the mine, the description of which leaves no doubt 48 of its infernal character.

Hoffmann repeatedly connects his insane characters, their 49 eyes flashing fire, with evil and hell, representing the traditional

notion of possession by an evil spirit or the devil himself.

46 von Schenck, Kampf, p. 275: "Viktorin . . . versinkt vollig in Wahnsinn, verliert sich selbst restlos, wird also zur blossen Maske des Satans." In a lucid moment, Viktorin realized the extent of his loss: "Ach, ich liess mich um mein Selbst, um meine unsterbliche Seele betrUgen I" (Elixiere, PW II, 229). Not only had physical appearance and identity been usurped by his double, but since he assumed as his own Medardus' crimes, of which he was aware through psychic rapport, his soul/mind was presumably in the possession of Satan, as his insane state would indicate. All that remained of Viktorin was a blind instrument of evil.

"Serapion," Dichtungen, X, 8: " 'Irr' ich nicht . . . so war dieser . . . Monch . . . eben derselbe, welcher unter dem Kaiser Oecius das grausamste Martyrertum erlitt, Man trennte bekanntlich die Junkturen der Glieder und stUrzte ihn dann vom hohen Felsen hinab.' 'So ist es,' sprach Serapion. . . 48 "Falun," Dichtungen, IX, 195 f .: "Elis Frobom schritt guten Mutes vorwarts, als er aber vor dem ungeheuern Hoilenschlunde stand, da gefror ihm das Blut in den Adern . . . ein ewig betaubender Schwefeldunst steigt aus der Tiefe, als wurde unten der Hollensud gekocht, dessen Dampfe alle griine Lust der Natur vergiften, Man s o llte glauben, hier sei Dante herabgestiegen und habe den Inferno geschaut mit all seiner trostlosen Q.ual, mit all seinem Entsetzen," 49 "Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 96; "GelUbde," Dichtungen, II, 52, "Rauber," Dichtungen, IX, 348, 351 .

Thus the old keeper speaks to the insane Countess Angelika: "Hu hu I—treibt schon wieder der Teufel sein Bockspiel mit Ew. Gnaden. . . ." and to Theodor: "Donnerwetter, Herr, der a lte Satan hatte Sie ermordet, kam ich nicht dazwischen . . . um aller Seligkeit w illen , wer Sie auch sein mogen, wie der a lte gnadige 91

Hoffmann's descriptions of the sta te of insanity and of a demonic

spirit closely resemble each other,in fact, Liris' insane mirth

is called "the most inimical of all demons" ("Brambilla," Dichtungen,

I I I , 327 ), and in Kater Murr the threat of insanity which terrified 52 Kreisler was described as Fury-like spirits. In "Rat Krespel" almost identical descriptions appear for insanity and the devil's a b o d e , a n d Hermogen (E lix ie re ) predicted that Medardus would end up damned and insane as punishment for his sins (PW I I , 80),

Heinrich von Ofterdingen ("Kampf der Sanger") refers to the period

Hexensatan Sie auch hierher gelockt haben mag, verschweigen S ie, was hier geschehen, sonst koinme ich um Amt und Brot S' ("Das ode Haus," Dichtungen, IX, I 66 f.); and the keeper of Ettlinger called him "Hoilenkerl" (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 191).

Cf, "Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 92; "Da packte ihn der Wahnsinn mit glühenden Krallen und fuhr in sein Inneres hinein, Sinn und Gedanken zerreissend"j "Kampf der Sanger," Pichtungen, X, 11$: "Eine wilde entsetzliche Gestalt stieg auf, umfasste mich mit glühenden Armen und wollte mich hinabreissen in den schwarzen Abgrund."

Murr, Dichtungen, V, 506: "Da regten sich die finstern Geister, die so oft Macht hatten Uber ihn, und griffen schonungslos mit scharfen Krallen in seine wunde Brust,"

"Rat Krespel," Dichtungen, I: ", . , da lachelte Krespel und sprach mit seiner lei sen singenden Stimme: 'Wollt' ich doch, dass der schwarzgefiederte Satan den verruchten Tonverdreher zehntausend Millionen Klafter tief in den Abgrund der Hoi le schlUge l'"(p, 234); ", , , es war mir, als wollte er mich verhUllt herabziehen in den schwarzen entsetzlichen Abgrund des Wahnsinns, Da stand der Rat plotz- lich stille und sprach in seinem singenden Ton; 'Sohnchen?--Sohnchen?— warum schreist du so? hast du den Totenengel geschaut?'" (p, 246), 92 of his life when he was under the influence of Klingsohr and the denizens of the dark regions as "Wahnsinn" (Dichtungen, X, 117).

From this multitude of examples, it is apparent that Hoffmann considered the absorption of the mind into insanity a counterpart to the descent of the soul into Hell. The common denominator in both cases was the loss of se lf and se lf-c o n tro l, the withdrawal from the real world—a trading of the truth, i.e. recognition of the true relationship of the self with the real world, for the epitome of e rro r, i .e . succumbing to the falseness of insane b eliefs or to the realm of the prince of lies. Closely related to the state of insanity, whole or p a rtia l, is the catalep tic illn ess which at times overcame

Medardus (Elixiere) , Hedwiga (Murr), the witch-mother ("Hyanen"), and

Kreisler ("Freund"), for it, too, separates the victim from his personality at least temporarily, and places him at the mercy of others, who might be inimically inclined. The connection of this condition with evil is shown most plainly in the case of the witch-mother, who is presented as a typical witch figure and whose relationship with 54 evil powers, both human and supernatural, is indicated repeatedly.

In spite of Hoffmann's fear and horror of insanity,he found in it as in most things, an opposite aspect, a semi positive side, for

"Hyanen," Dichtungen, VI, 178, l8l, 184, 105.

Werner, p. 65 , states: "Hoffmann's unmistakable interest in insanity, his partiality toward eccentric people and those threatened by insanity rested to a considerable degree . . . upon a deeply in­ grained distrust of rationalism and the Enlightenment. He did not possess their unshakable faith in the force of reason." 93

insanity could also function as a final, desperate escape from a

situation too frightening or horrible to be borne. The prospective

victim who was aware of the doubly threatening situation in which he

found himself could, however, sometimes escape both these alternatives,

if he was carefu l. Thus:

Sie [Veronika] vernahm wohl, wie es um sie her heulte und brauste, wie allerlei widrige Stimmen durcheinander blokten und schnatterten, aber sie schlug die Augen nicht auf, denn sie fUhlte, wie der Anblick des Grasslichen, des Entsetz- lichen, von dem sie umgeben, sie in unheilbaren zerstorenden Wahnsinn stürzen konne. ("Topf," Dichtungen III, 66)

. , . die Schauer der vergangenen Nacht fro stelten aber noch in meinem Innern, ich fUhlte mich wie von einer unbekannten Macht berUhrt, oder es war mir vielmehr, als habe ich schon an den Kreis gestreift, den zu Uberschreiten und rettungslos unterzugehen es nur noch eines Schritts bedUrfte, als konne nur das Aufbieten a lle r mir inwohnenden Kraft mich gegen d a s Entsetzen schUtzen, das nur dem unheilbaren Wahnsinn zu weichen pflegt. ("Majorat," Dichtungen, II, 72)

Although insanity does protect its victim against unbearable horror

by blotting out reality, the accompanying loss of control over the

self also leaves the victim completely vulnerable to the inimical

force, an alternative well realized by each person involved in the

above quotations, for each avoided taking the final step which might

have proved irrevocable.

Sometimes the unbearable cannot be avoided, and catastrophe

results.A single experience of unbearable horror—the inex­

plicably floating plate—broke the reason of Auguste ("Der schwebende

Teller"). A sudden, shockingly cruel and bizarre change in the beloved

The catastrophe does not always occur in the form of in- sanity--the Captain in "Elementargeist" suffered a stroke, the mother in "Teller" fell i l l —"Nervenfieber"—and died, while her husband apparently committed suicide in b a ttle . 94

which dashes the lover into the depths of insanity is a favorite

device used by Hoffmann, and grotesque variations of th is theme

appear in four works. In "Hyanen," when Count Hippolyt discovered

that his beautiful young wife had taken on the carrion habits of

her dead witch-mother, he became insane; in "Das ode Haus," Countess

Angelika's supposedly devoted fiance^deserted her as soon as he met

her younger sister, whom he then married, and the shock led to

Angelika's insanity. When Countess Amalia ("Rauber") witnessed the

violent death of her husband at the hands of his brother ("Mit

zerschmettertem Haupt stiirzte der Rauber zur Erde." "Rauber,"

Oichtungen, IX, 346), her already wavering reason broke, Nathanael

("Sandmann") discovered that his fianceefoiim pia was a mechanical

doll only when he accidently came upon her co-owners in the violent

process of pulling her to pieces, and the shock turned him into a

raving maniac.

Two of the above characters, Angelika and Nathanael, became

true instruments of evil in their insanity, bringing harm to those who loved them and, in Angelika's case, even to strangers. A third,

•Amalia, only believed in her twisted thinking that she had taken revenge for wrongs which she fe lt had been done her, although her unreasonable passion for the dissolute Karl had always been considered by her family as "verbrecherischen Wahnsinn" ("Rauber," Dichtungen,

IX, 336 ). No details about Hippolyt's subsequent situation are revealed. 95

Another theme, similar to that of the shocking moment, is also frequently employed by Hoffmann, namely that of escape into insanity from the misery of a trag ic situ atio n which has gradually enveloped the victim until he can see no rational way out. Into this category may be placed Ettlinger (Murr), whose hopeless love for the FUrstin Maria eventually drove him insane; Hermogen (Elixiere), whose bad conscience over his secret a ffa ir with his stepmother (who, unknown to him, was also his half-sister) led to madness; Berthold

("Jesuiterkirche"), whose cruel treatment of his wife and child haunted him into incurable depression and eventual suicide; and Hermenegilda

("GelUbde"), whose world and reason collapsed when she discovered that her fiance^was dead and not the father of her expected ch ild .

Rene Cardillac ("Scuderr") might also be considered this type of character, for he could not accept the fact that he would have to part from the jewelry items he made for his customers, which even­ tually led him to become a nocturnal madman who murdered his clients to get the jewelry back. All these persons, during their possession by inimical forces, caused harm and pain to th eir loved ones and were not able to return to the normal world which they had left. There is considerable evidence that Kreisler (Murr)» too, was being over­ whelmed, due to unfortunate circumstances, by the "dark s p irits " of insanity (See footnote $2 above), whose "sharp claws" lend them a diabolical note, even though Kreisler's friends ostensibly did not notice any danger signs in him.^^ An "evil star" is blamed as the

"Kreisleriana," Dichtunqen, 1,5. 96 source of the individual peculiarities of Cardillac ("Scuderi"), rp Kreisler (Murr), Anselmus ("Topf"), and Serapion.

Of all the mad characters in Hoffmann's works, the only ones to find complete happiness and contentment in their escape into insanity were Serapion, who was "perhaps rescued by the Eternal Force in this manner from the dangerous crags into the safe harbor"

("Serapion," Dichtunqen, X, 17), and Anselmus, if the thinking of

Ochsner (p. 99) and, esp ecially , Jaffe^(p. 268) is accepted and

Atlantis is equated with the unconscious, that part of the human personality ruled, according to Schubert, by the primitive "Ganglien- system," which emerges when the more refined "Cerebralsystem" is inactive, such as in the states of insanity, trances of all kinds, 59 and dreams. Indeed, Cyprian designates the insanity of Serapion as a dream ("Graf P**, erwachen Sie aus dem verderblichen Traum, der Sie bestrickt. . . ." "Serapion," Dichtunqen, X, ID), as does

Wilhelmine the fixed idea of her uncle ("0 1 mein teuerster, bester

Dnkel, nicht jetzt neckt Sie ein Traum, nein, ein boses--boses

Gespenst hielt Sie in entsetzlichen Traumen, wie in schweren Ketten gefangen." "Genesung," Dichtunqen, XI, 401), and Eugenius his passion for Gabriel la (". . . du storst den Wahnsinnigen auf aus dem Traum seiner Betorung I" "Datura," Dichtunqen, IX, 203). The SerapionsbrUder

"Scuderi," Dichtunqen, II, 228; Murr, Dichtunqen, V, 125» "Topf," Dichtunqen, III, 6; SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 295» 59 Schubert, Traum, pp. 129 f f , 97

designate Zacharies Werner's insane mother as one who "in the de­

lirium of sickness mistakes the dream of another existence for

wakeful life itself" (SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 472),

Unlike Serapion, who enjoyed an unblemished reputation both

in his first life as Graf P-"’' and later as a hermit, Anselmus was

repeatedly connected with insanity and evil by a variety of people,

not only insensitive citizens ("Topf," Dichtungen, III, 3, 7, 9,

14) and the inim ically minded Liese (p. 3)» but by Anselmus himself

(pp. 6, 8) and Lindhorst (p. 93), Harsh judgment always occurred

when Anselmus was in e rro r, i ,e . when he acted contrary to what was

considered desirable behavior in the eyes of the speaker. Obviously

there is a great gulf separating the various characters' ideas of

what constitutes bad and insane behavior, illustrating the subjectivity

involved here as in all other aspects of identifying the beneficent

and inimical forces at work in Hoffmann's works. As just one example,

in Lindhorst's eyes, Anselmus erred most greatly when he lost faith

in Serpentina, while Konrektor Paulmann believed Anselmus to be

possessed just because of his devotion to the mysterious world sur­

rounding Lindhorst and his daughters. Even Hoffmann in his role as

narrator emphasizes Anselmus' loss of contact with reality, but in an unprejudiced, impersonal manner, giving consideration to the extenuating circumstances surrounding the young student

"Topf," Dichtungen, III, 83: "Allés das Seltsame und Wundervolle, welches dem Studenten Anselmus taglich begegnet war, hatte ihn ganz dem gewohnlichen Leben entrUckt, . . ." Cf. p. 90; "Aber den Studenten Anselmus durchzuckte der Wahnsinn des innern Entsetzens. . . ," 98

As Serapion fell into his new life in the rather idyllic

"Theban wilderness" around Bamberg, so did Anselmus "tumble"

from his broken crystal prison "into the arms of the lovely,

charming Serpentina" ("Topf," Dichtungen, III, 102) and his new

life in Atlantis, Both works end with an attempt by Hoffmann to

arouse a l i t t l e sense of envy on the part of the reader, which is

never the case in any of Hoffmann's other works dealing with

insanity, where the victims who do not recover are treated as

tragic or ridiculous figures.

Of course, the most positive aspect of Serapion's insanity,

as far as the SerapionsbrUder and Hoffmann were concerned, was the

development of the Serapiontic principle (the poet's ability to

see and express happenings of the imagination as if they had really

been experienced by him), which did not involve Serapion as a

person at all, but only illuminated his poetic ability, Jaffe'

points to the relationship between Serapion and Hoffmann, which casts additional light upon his fear of insanity:

Bei dieser Einsicht Hoffmanns in die Gefahren der Seele mutet es kUhn, ja herausfordernd an, dass er einen Geisteskranken zum dichterischen (/orbild nimmt. Es be- steht jedoch—und darin liegt vielleicht der Sinn einer solchen Wahl—eine eigentliche Wesensverwandtschaft zwischen ihm und Serapion; denn auch er litt bis zur Grenze des Tragbaren am Problem jener "D u p lizitat, von der allein unser irdisches Seyn bedingt ist", und seine TagebUcher zeigen, wie sehr er sich der Gefahr der Geisteskrankhei t ausgesetzt fUhlte, (Jaffef^ p, 281)

Schubert's belief that it may be possible that small children can remember something of "that unknown dream from which we came"^^

G. H. von Schubert, Ansichten von der Nachtseite der Naturwissenschaft (Dresden, 1800), p, 303. 99 may well have inspired Hoffmann's explanation for a kind of positive insanity dealt with in "Meister Floh," where Georg

Pepusch, although he was not a small child, was able to remember his love for Dortje in a previous existence:

Gut war es, dass er diesen Gedanken andern Leuten nicht sonderlich mitteiltej man hatte ihn sonst vielleicht fur wahnsinnig gehalten und eingesperrt, wiewohl die fixe Idee eines Partiell-Wahnsinnigen oft nichts anders sein mag, als die Ironie eines Seins, welches dem jetzigen vorausging, ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 491)

It is possible that Hoffmann chose eventually to explain to himself in a similar way what he considered a fixed idea with regard to 62 Julie and his feeling of relatedness with her.

The Pythie quality of insanity is touched upon by Hoffmann in regard to Werner's mother:

Ein Weib, sonst hochbegabt mit Geist und Fantasie, mag in diesem Zustande oft mehr eine gottliche Seherin als eine Wahnsinnige scheinen und in dem Kitzel des Krampfs psychisch geiler VerzUckung Dinge aussprechen, die gar viele geneigt sein werden, flir die unmittelbaren Ein- gebungen hoherer Machte zu ha 1 ten. (SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 472)

In the opinion of Hoffmann/Theodor, she was instrumental in convincing

Werner that he was "a chosen one of the Higher Force--a saint--a prophet” (SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 4/3). Similarly

Medardus, who resembles Werner somewhat, f e l t his innermost thoughts were most transparent to the eyes of the insane, whom he also con­ sidered as creatures sent to him as a warning by the "higher, holy

62 Cf, diary entries February 3 , 1812, through February 8 , 1812. 100

Force" to lead him back to the right path (Elixiere, PW II, 147).

Euphemie, on the other hand, while recognizing also this Pythian

quality, attributed to it a far less optimistic origin and purpose;

"V iktorin," sprach s ie , "es droht uns V errat, Hermogen, der wahnsinnige Hermogen ist es, der, durch seltsame Ahnungen auf die Spur g e le ite t, unser Gaheimnis entdeckt hat. In aller lei Andeutungen, die gleich schauerlichen entsetzlichen SprUchen einer dunklen Macht, die Uber uns waltet, lauten, hat er dem Baron einen Verdacht eingefldsst. . . ," (Elixiere, PW II, 92)

Another situation regularly designated by Hoffmann as an

aspect of insanity is the passion for gambling, which he considered

a dangerous tempting of fate. The entire plot of the Novel le

"SpielerglUck" is concerned with this problem, which is further

amplified in the conversations of the SerapionsbrUder regarding

this work and also dealt with fairly extensively in Elixiere.

Mir war es, als sei das Gold, das auf dem Tische blinkte, das Handgeld, womit die fin s tre Macht meine Seele erkauft, die nun nicht mehr dem Verderben entrinnen konne. (SerapionsbrUder , Dichtungen, XIII, 428)

. . . aber ich fUhle nur zu lebhaft, dass es nicht sowohl die Gefahr ist, durch bedeutenden Verlust in die Ubelste Lage zu geraten, wilche dieses Spiel so verderblich macht, sondern vielmehr die KUhnheit, geradazu wie in offener Fehde es mit der geheiinen Macht aufzunehmen, die aus dem Dunkel glanzend hervortritt und uns wie ein verfUhrerisches Trugbild in eine Region verlockt, in der sie uns hohnend ergreift und zermalmt. Eben dieser Kampf mit jener Macht scheint das anziehende WagestUck zu sein, das der Mensch, seiner Kraft kindisch vertrauend, so gern unternimmt und das e r , einmal begonnen, bestandig, ja noch im Todes- kampfe den Si eg hoffend, nicht mehr lassen kann. Oaher kommt meines BedUnkens die wahnsinnige Leidenschaft der Pharospieler und die innere ZerrUttung des Geistes, die der blosse Galdverlust nicht nach sich zu ziehen vermag und die sie zerstort. (Elixiere, PW II, I 6 5 )

The problem of this "inner confusion of the spirit" which leads to destruction will be discussed in detail in the next section. 101

One of Hoffmann's most interesting mad characters is the old artist Berklinger, who sat for hours before an empty canvas, believing he was s t i l l creating m asterpieces. Although he appeared

nearly as content as Serapion, he is pictured as less coherent, and

his death shows Faustian aspects, suggestive of possession by evil:

Er soil sehr hasslich ausgesehen haben--ganz blau und blutig, weil ihm, man weiss nicht wie, eine Pulsader gesprungen war. ("Artushof," Dichtungen, VIII, 37)

A related figure is that of the musician in “Ritter Gluck," who

played from blank pages, believing them to be scores. However,

Hoffmann did not indicate clearly whether the musician was actually

insane, or the first of a series of revenants who appear in a number of Hoffmann's works.

Insanity also plays a small role in the imaginative playlet

“Prinzessin Blandina," where the heroine believes herself to be of supernatural origin and therefore hopes to marry an elemental spirit.

Her notion is derided by her c o u rtie r, when he supposedly fa lls from his ro le , as “Narrheit" and “to llen Wahnsinn'' (“Blandina," Dichtunqen,

VII, 321). This desire to marry an elemental spirit on the part of

Herrn Oapsul von Zabelthau in the fairy tale “Die Kbnigsbraut" is taken somewhat more seriously and considered at least a possibility by the other characters involved, which is not surprising in a fairy tale.

Although Herr Oapsul is presented as an eccen tric, insanity is not mentioned. The same idea of union with an elemental spirit emerges completely seriously in “Elementargeist" where Aurora and O'Malley appear as representatives of the inimical force, threatening to pull 102

Viktor, who is portrayed as being perfectly sane, into an irrevocable

trap, Hoffmann's treatment of this theme from frivolous to serious

is a reversal of his usual method of gradually loosening and

lightening an idea as he progresses from one work to another.

To sum up Hoffmann's concept of insanity, the most important

factor is that of error on the part of the victim, in one or more

aspects of his comprehension of reality, ranging from the mistaken

b e lie f of the Baron von B, that he was a great musician, to the

all-encompassing state of error of a Viktor in, whose uncontrolled

psychic rapport with Medardus enabled him to assume a twisted version

of the letter's personality, for he had completely lost his own.

Insanity consists in the loss of ability to distinguish between that

which is real and that which is imaginary:

Armer Serapion, worin bestand dein Wahnsinn anders, als dass irgend ein feindlicher Stern dir die Erkenntnis der Duplizitat geraubt hatte, von der eigentlich allein unser irdisches Sein bedingt ist, (SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, X III, 295)

Although insanity may afford a blessed escape from intolerable circum­

stances by helping reason "to find the right way home--that is the

madhouse" (E lix ie re , PW I I , 269), most frequently it is connected with

a dark, inimical force ("der wesenlose entsetzliche Teufel des Wahn-

sinns" (Elixiere, PW II, 3^3) or equated with an evil spirit

(", , , o Wahnsinn, oder: o Narrheit, oder: o finstrer Geist, lass ab von ihm'," "Briefe aus den Bergen," Dichtungen, XV, 270),

Insanity has little power over calm, virtuous, clear-thinking people; no shock or fright could shake the mind of Clara ("Sandmann") or 103

Aurelie (Elixiere). It is only through some weakness—"nur irgend- eine Abnormitat im geistigen Organism" ("Das ode Haus," Dichtungen,

IX, 163 )—that insanity, like other aspects of the inimical force, can enter the personality. CHAPTER I I I

THE IDEA OF PERSONAL FREEDOM: THE DEMONS WITHIN

"Im Menschen is t die ganze Macht des finstern Princips und in eben demselben zugleich die ganze Kraft des Lichts, In ihm ist der tiefste Abgrund und der hochste Himmel, oder beide Centra," (Schelling, "Menschliche Freiheit," Werke, Hauptband 1\I, 255.

The natural inability of man, unlike God, to integrate the elements of good and evil within himself is stressed by Boehme,

Schelling, and Schubert. While the existence of evil is necessary for the recognition of good^ and even in combination with good to 2 maintain the life force in the world, within each individual person these conflicting elements are a constant source of tension and stress,^ pulling man from one extreme to the other, for all three philosophers believed that man was free to follow either element.

Although Schelling did credit each individual with having a

^ John Watson, Schelline's Transcendental Ideal ism. A Critical Exposition (Chicago, lôSz), pp. 22Ô, 229, 2)4. 2 Boehme, quoted in Stoudt, p. 239. ■> Boehme, "Von der Gnadenwahl" x i i , 9, quoted in Stoudt, p. 296 : "Man is free. His life is a battlefield of two wills, a fateful d u e l."

104 105 predestined nature, in accordance with which he acted, the philosopher also insisted that the individual followed this nature 4 with perfect freedom, and that his decisions might be influenced by the intervention of God or the efforts of a friend,^

Schubert and Schelling pictured the opposition of the elements of good and evil in the form of good and evil s p ir its or demons, who vied for the attention of an individual person, and

Schubert went so far as to assign voices and even v isib le forms to these spirits.^

The state of being at odds with the self—"Zerrissenheit"— occurs frequently in those of Hoffmann's characters who are approached by some aspect of the inimical force.

Wie oft stellen Oichter Menschen, welche auf irgend eine entsetzliche Weise untergehen, als im ganzen Leben mit sich entzweit, als von unbekannten finstern Machten be- fangen dar. . . . mich wenigstens spricht dies immer deshalb an, weil ich meine, dass es tier in der Natur be- grUndet ist. Ich habe Menschen gekannt, die sich plotz- lich im ganzen Wesen veranderten, die entweder in sich hinein e rstarrten oder wie von bosen Machten rastlo s verfolgt in steter Unruhe umher getrieben wurden, und die bals dieses, bald jenes entsetzliche Ereignis aus dem Leben fortriss. (SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 318)

L Ochsner, pp. 118, f .; Schelling, "Menschliche Freiheit," Werke, Hauptband IV, 279 f f .

^ Schelling, "Menschliche F re ih e it," Werke, Hauptband IV, 281.

^ Schubert, Traum, pp. 88, 90. 106

The frightening nature of this inner struggle, bringing forth in its victim a fear of losing his identity entirely, is best described in E lixiere by Medardus:

Mit meinem Selbst mehr als jemals entzw eit, wurde ich mir selbst zweideutig, und ein inneres Grauen umfing mein eignes Wesen mit zerstorender Kraft. (PW II, 146)

Mit diesen Worten schloss Reinhold seine Erzahlung, die mich auf mannigfache Weise gefoltert hatte, indem die seltsamsten WidersprUche in meinem Innern sich durchkreuzten, Mein eignes Ich, zum grausamen Spiel eines launenhaften Zufalls geworden und in fremdartige Gestalten zerf1iessend, schwamm ohne Halt wie in einem Meer all der Ereignisse, die wie tobende Wallen auf mich hineinbrausten.--Ich konnte mich selbst nicht wieder- findenl . . . Ich bin das, was ich scheine, und scheine das nicht, was ich bin, mir selbst ein unerklarlich Ratsel, bin ich entzweit mit meinem Ich I (PW II, Jk)

The phenomenon of hearing two different voices, one urging good, the other evil action,is also very common. Those characters who are already absolutely dedicated to one extreme or the other es­ cape this internal turmoil, although even these persons may be advised by voices attributed to conscience or a guiding spirit,^

Many of Hoffmann's characters may be divided into four basic types, according to their ethical commitments, or lack thereof:

(1) the basically evil, who already belong to the inimical force and will be discussed in other sections; (2) the flawless heroes and heroines, who are absolutely unshakable by temptation; (3) the ambivalent heroes, who may be torn strongly between the two poles, or who may be essentially positive with only scattered elements characteristic of evil; and (4) the clear-thinking observers, who

^ Cf. Cardillac in "Scuderi," Dichtunqen, II, 234. 107

function as advisers or friends of the vacillating heroes and who

are sometimes partial portraits of Hoffmann himself. These observers

do not usually appear as central characters (Salvator Rosa is an

exception), and they are able to recognize the truth of the situation

in which they find themselves, not only through the help of guiding

voices or a naive instinct for sensing evil, although occasionally

they do possess such an intuitive power, but primarily through a

sound, healthy, well-adjusted a ttitu d e toward l i f e , which includes a quick wit, an observant eye, and at times an active sense of

humor. Characters of this type are Friedrich ("Abenteuer der Silvester-

Nacht"), Siegmund ("Sandmann"), Dagobert ("Gast"), and Sever ("Datura"),

Since the flawless heroes like the evil ones are already committed, they seldom serve as central characters, but function rather as elements influencing the more ambivalent heroes. Of those works in which the struggle for power between good and evil forces

forms the main theme, only "Ignaz Oenner" and "Kampf der Sanger" have examples of the flawless hero in very prominent roles. Andres and Wol fframb are perfect saints—staunch Christians, unafraid of facing the Devil himself, and prepared to make any sacrifice to save their loved ones. Both possess the instinctive ability to recognize evil, which is a frequent characteristic of pure spirits in Hoffmann's 0 works, even though they sometimes allow reason to cloud th is in stin c t.

In addition, Andres is guided by an inner voice; "Ach Herr," erwiderte Andres, "verzeiht es, aber eine innere Stimme sagt mir, dass ich Euer unverdientes Geld nicht nehmen

^ "Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 83; "Denner," Dichtungen, IX, 6 5 . 108

d a rf. Disse innere Stimme, der ich wie der hohern Eingebung meines Schutzhei1igen immer v e rtra u t, hat mich bisher sicher durch das Leben gefUhrt und mich beschUtzt vor alien Gefahren des Leibes und der Seele. . . ("Denner," Dichtungen, IX, 67 )

A number of secondary characters qualify as "flawless," Gretchen

("Datura") is regularly referred to as "das ahnende Kind" and had no difficulty in recognizing in Fermino at once a "satanical principle" (Dichtungen, IX, 2/5), an opinion she steadfastly main­ tained even when others were fooled. Another flawless heroine is

Erasmus Spikher's pious, somewhat wooden, German wife (whom von

Schaukal associates with Hoffmann's wife, p, 131)» who was rather slow to recognize her husband's possession by evil powers, but whose absolute piety qualified her to function as the good voice of

Erasmus' conscience ("Si 1 vester-Nacht," Dichtungen, VI, 36 ). The old

Uncle V, ("Majorat") was also guided by an inner voice, which en­ couraged him in his successful effort to ban the restless spirit of the evil Daniel,^ Paul Talkebarth ("Elementargeist") worked un­ ceasingly to rescue his master from the trap being prepared by

O'Malley and Aurora, whom Paul called "den Herrn Major Satan und die Mamsell Beelzebub" (Dichtungen, VI, 253).

Û "Majorat," Dichtungen, II, 74: "Eine innere Stimme sagt mir, dass meiner geistigen Gewalt nicht sowohl als meinem Mute, der sich auf festes Vertrauen griindet, der bose Spuk weichen muss, und dass es kein freveliches Beginnen, sondern ein frommes tapferes Werk ist, wenn ich Leib und Leben daran wage, den bosen Unhold zu bannen, , , , Doch I von keiner Wagnis ist ja die Rede, denn in solch festera redlichen Sinn, in solch frommen Vertrauen, wie es in mir lebt, ist und bleibt man ein siegreicher Held," 109

Among those who instinctively recognized evil was the circle of friends in the beginning of the tale "Der unheimliche Gast," whose first negative impression of Graf S—i was quite correct. Similarly,

the Baron and Bickert ("Magnétiseur") feared and distrusted Alban in sp ite of his ostensible helpfulness, and Marie associated Alban with a basilisk, A similar situation occurs in Murr, where Julia and

Hedwiga associated Hektor with a b asilisk and a dragon-like monster, and Julia's bodyguard sensed that the prowler, who in reality was

Hektor, was evil, Andres' young son refused to play with Denner, somehow sensing that he meant harm to the child ("Denner"), and Gott- schalk, the landlord of Wolfframb von Eschinbach, suspected the truth about Nasias, even before the latter had made an appearance:

", , , vielleicht ist dieser Nasias , , , der bose Feind selbst, der

Euch ins Verderben stlirzen wird I" ("Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 100),

Magdaleine von Scuderi intuitively suspected Cardillac of some connec­ tion with evil, in spite of his good reputation. The children

C hristlieb and Felix, as well as their parents ("Das fremde Kind") recognized an inimical principle in Magister Tinte/Pepser, and Reinhold

(E lix iere) saw the evil and scheming Euphemie for what she was, in sp ite of her beauty and charm.

The ambivalent heroes comprise the largest of the four cate­ gories under discussion, and the one characteristic they have in common is their "Zerrissenheit," a personality flaw inherent in some of them from the start, and used by the inimical force to gain some control over them, or a condition brought on by the inimical force when it has succeeded in invading the personality through some other weakness. no

Heilborn believes that the tension within the personalities of

Ju lia /G iu lie tta ("Si 1vester-Nacht") and Medardus (E lix ie re ) are based upon Hoffmann's knowledge of sim ilar "double natures" within his own and Julia Mark's personalities!^ While Much (p. 226) and

Werner (pp. 77 f .) are inclined to place Hoffmann into the same category with the authors of the pessimistic fate tragedies, whose heroes have no choice and are manipulated by forces outside them­ selves, Harich expresses a different opinion:

Die unheimlichen Einflusse der Geisterwelt lasst Hoffmann aber nicht an Menschen wie an wehrlosen Opfertieren sich auswirken. Uber allem Spuk und a lle r magischen Bannung steht die unbeirrbare geistige Kraft des starken Menschen, Nur die Angekrankelten . . . erliegen den EinflUssen der feindlichen Prinzipe . . . und wo die Nachtwelt auch den reinen starken Menschen in einer verlorenen Stunde Uber- w a ltig t, da bleibt ihm die Freiheit zu sUhnen und zu Uberwinden. Das hebt Hoffmanns Spukdichtungen Uber modische Machwerke, die sich darin gefielen, den Menschen als willenlosen Spielball der hoheren Gewalten hinzustellen. Hoffmann war zu t ie f in die okkulten Dinge eingedrungen, um die strenge Rangordnung der geistigen Krafte Ubersehen zu konnen. . . . Nicht unbedingt herrschen die Damonen Uber menschliches Schicksal. (Dichtungen, VI, viii, ix)

Von Schaukal, too, emphasizes the fact that more prospective victims manage to escape from entanglement with the inimical force than succumb to it. The views of Harich and von Schaukal appear to be more accurate than those of Huch and Werner, when considered in the light of the following statements:

. . . ist irgend ein hollischer Zauber im Spiele, so kommt es nur darauf an, ihm mit festem Sinn entgegen zu treten, der Si eg ist gewiss wenn nur der Mut vorhanden, (Statement of Balthasar, "Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 178)

Heilborn, pp. 62 f. Ill

Ein Verhangnis, dem du nicht entrinnen konntest, gab dem Satan Macht Uber dich, und indem du fre v e lte st, warst du nur sein Werkzeug. Wahne aber nicht, dass du deshalb weniger sUndig vor den Augen des Herrn erschienest, denn dir war die Kraft gegeben, im rUstigen Kampf den Satan zu bezwingen. In wessen Menschen Herz stUrmt nicht der Bose und widerstrebt dem Guten; aber ohne diesen Kampf gab’ es keine Tugend, denn diese is t nur der Sieg des guten Prin- zips Uber das bose, sowie aus dem umgekehrten die SUnde entspringt, (Statement of the Prior, Elixiere, PW II, 283)

. . . das is t der Wille des Himmels, dass der Mensch der bosen Wirkung des augenblick]ichen Leichtsinns sich be- wusst werde und aus diesem klaren Bewusstsein die Kraft schopfe, ihr zu widerstehen. Darin offenbart sich die Macht des Herrn, dass so wie das Leben der Natur durch das Gift, das sittlich gute Prinzip in ihr erst durch das Bose bedingt wird. (Statement of Leonardos, Elixiere, PW I I , 348)

Similar statements are made in "Majorat" by the Uncle V. (See

footnote 9t P* IO 8 , above.), by the Pope in Elixiere (PW II, 312),

by Dagobert ("Gast," Dichtungen, VI, 122), by Dr, K. in "Das ode

Haus" (Dichtungen, IX, 162). Since the sentiment that one is free

to choose between one's good and evil impulses is expressed by a

positive character in every case mentioned above, with the possible

exception of the Pope, who is presented in a somewhat questionable

light by Hoffmann, it seems plausible to accept th is theory as

Hoffmann’s own.

An analysis of Hoffmann’s ambivalent heroes shows that th ree—

Medardus, Nathanael ("Sandmann"), and Elis Frobom ("Falun")--are

presented as especially vulnerable from the times of their birth.

Medardus was burdened with the curse of his ancestor, the old painter.

Nathanael’s earliest memories were of the sinister Coppelius. Elis

Frobom was born in the Nerika section of Sweden, all of the inhab­ itan ts of which are reputed to be melancholy and pessim istic. As 112 very young men, their "Zerrissenheit" came into evidence. For

Medardus this point came about with his frightening encounter with

the old painter during a sermon ("Ich war zerknirscht—zerrUttet im

Geiste, . . ." PW II, 42), and his desire to regain his lost art as an orator led him to try the fateful e li x ir s , with which his adventures began. The turning point for Nathanael was the visit of Coppola to his room ("Ach wie vermochte ich denn Euch zu schreiben in der zer- rissenen Stimmung des Geistes, die mir bisher alle Gedanken verstorte I" Dichtungen, VI, 51), from which moment his hold on sanity began to diminish. The discovery of his mother's death brought Elis to the decision to leave the sea ("Der Tod seiner Mutter zerreisse ihm das Herz, er fiihle sich von aller Walt verlassen, einsam wie auf ein odes Riff verschlagen, hilflos, elend," Dichtungen, IX, 186), and open to Torbern's suggestion that he become a miner. In Falun his entire personality separated into two parts:

, . , er fiihlte sich wie in zwei Halften geteilt, es war ihm, als stiege sein besseres, sein eigentliches Ich hinab in den Mittalpunkt der Erdkugel und ruhe aus in den Armen der Konigin, wahrend er in Falun sein dUsteres Lager suche, ("Falun," Dichtungen IX, 213 f .)

In all three cases, the inimical force used a tool to distort the ability of the victims to recognize the truth—the intoxicating e lix ir , the magic g lass, and the strange wonders of the mine all served to separate the victims from their usual surroundings and made them believe they possessed special powers denied to o thers,

^ ^ Schubert calls attention to the frequency with which an evil demon provides its victim with tools for doing the wrong that is being contemplated. See Traum, p, 90, 113

In spite of attempts of friends and loved ones to help the three young men, only Medardus was able to escape his entanglement with the inimical force, for only he lived long enough to recover from his insanity and eventually was able to recognize the truth.

An inappropriate love involvement is the weakening element that brought "Zerrissenheit" into the personalities of Heinrich von

Ofterdingen,^^ Erasmus Spikher,^^ Anselmus,Marguerite,^^ and

Eugenius,who was doubly burdened under the strain of two diffi­ cult involvements (with the old Professorin and the licentious

Gabriel la), both of which produced Zerrissenheit, All but Marguerite believed that unfamiliar inner voices urged them to take action for

1 2 "Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 66: "Ofterdingens unruhiges zerrissenes Wesen nahm mit jedem Tag mehr Uberhand."

"Si 1vester-N achtDichtungen, VI, 31 : "Ganz verstort und im Innern zerrissen von Sehnsucht und Liebesqual folgte ihnen en.dlich Erasmus, . , ," lU "Topf," Dichtungen, III, 101 f ,: "'Anselmus,' sprach der GeisterfUrst, 'mcht du, sondern nur ein feindl iches Prinzip, das zerstorend in dein Inneres zu dringen und dich mit dir selbst zu entzweien trachtete, war schuld an deinem Unglauben,'"

"Gast," Dichtungen, VI, 120: "Marguerite ist entbrannt in to lle r Leidenschaft, Sie liebt dich mit allem wiitenden Schmerz, wie er nur ein briinstiges Gamut zerreissen kann."

"Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 244: " '0 schweige,' r ie f Eugenius, 'das Glut kocht mir in den Adern, ich kenne mich selbst nicht mehr, mein ganzes Wesen ist zerrissen'^-Gott im Himmel I— welcher bose Geist flammte aus mir heraus in diesem wilden Jahzornl'" and p, 280: "Die hohe GutmUtigkeit , , , der Professorin , , , wirkte wie ein heilender Balsam auf des Jiinglings wundes zerrissenes Gemlit," 114 good or evil, and Marguerite was herself involved with S—i in producing an inner voice in Angelika by means of hypnotic sugges­ tion, The inner voices of the others are variously explained.

That of Erasmus belongs to his wife ("Ach I es war die Stimme der frommen teutschen Hausfrau." "Si 1v ester-N ach tDi chtungen, VI,

36 ). Anselmus' visions and voices were those of Veronika and

Serpentina/Lindhorst ("Topf," Dichtungen, III, 83, 87 , e tc .) ,

Eugenius' inner voice is at f i r s t not id en tified (". . . die Stimme, die in meinem Innern spricht, die ist es, der ich allein traue, der ich allein folge" "Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 259 f.), but later it is designated "the voice of the Evil One" (IX, 289). Heinrich attributed his songs to "unknown powers, which often sang, instead of me, out of myself, and yet I was and remained the singer" ("Kampf,"

Dichtungen, X, 88), a situation similar to the unknown inner voice which spoke out of Medardus (E lix ie re , PW I I , 59, 89, 90, 96), which he later a ttrib u ted to Viktorin (PW I I , 97) and to the "S p irit of the Evil One" (PW II, 195), the "Widersacher selbst" (PW II, 212), and "the spirits of Hell" (PW II, 260). At times, however, Medardus' inner voice acted as a conscience (PW II, 60) and battled with the evil inner voice for Medardus' attention, intensifying his Zerrissen­ heit to the extreme:

Aber dann vernahm ich t ie f im Innern eine dunkle Stimme: "Und doch muss Aurelie dein sein'. Schwachsinniger Tor, wie gedenkst du zu andern, das, was Uber euch verhangt ist?" Und dann rief es wiederum: "Nieder—nieder wirf dich in den Staub I—Verblendeter, du frevelst I Nie kann sie dein werden; es ist die heilige Rosalia selbst, die du zu umfangen gedenkst in irdischer Liebe." So im Zwiespalt grauser Machte hin und her getrieben, vermochte ich nicht zu denken, nicht zu ahnen, was ich tun musse, um dem 115

Verderben zu entrinnen, das mir liberal 1 zu drohen schien. (PW I I , 238)

Here Medardus no longer distinguished the natures of the two voices. For him they had become equally dreadful.

In spite of their deep involvement with the inimical force, all these lovers realized their state of error barely in time to escape, except, perhaps, Spikher, who was not able to extricate his reflection from the possession of evil forces.

Related to the situations of the torn lovers is that of

Hermogen, whom g u ilt drove mad and tore a p a rt'^ and whose violent death terminated his chances for escape.

The fact that the ambivalent heroes' inner turmoil in­ variably affected adversely the lives of those they touched was recognized by the Baroness Seraphine:

. . . dass der Baron, immer UnglUck befürchtend, doch in der Freude und Lust daran selbst den bosen Damon neckt, bringt etwas Zerrissenes in sein Leben, das feindlich selbst auf mich wirken muss. ("Majorat," Dichtungen, I I , 96 f .)

The curse on the entail, made up of greed, jealousy, and hatred, had 18 earlier affected the Baron's uncle as well. The old Uncle V. managed to fight the curse through his banning of Daniel because he was righteous, strong, and informed, but the Baron and Seraphine were eventually crushed by it, for they were basically weak and unstable.

Elixiere, PW II, 6j: "'Baron,' fiel der Alte ein, 'Sie sind in èiner Stiramtihg, die nur dem ganzlich zerrUtteten GemUte eigen, Sie sollen nicht fort, Sie dUrfen durchaus nicht fort. . .

iO "Majorat," Dichtungen, II, 129: ". . . Wolfgang's Gesicht, sein Benehmen, sein Ton LzeigteJ den durch Leidenschaften jeder Art im Innersten zerrissenen Menschen ganz deutlich." 116

Meister Wacht considered his inner turmoil ("Durch die Berge wurde er fortgetrieben von einer sein Inneres gewaltsam zerreissenden

Stimmung . . Dichtungen, X, 303) the temptation of Satan, but

actually it was his blind prejudice which brought disharmony into his

personality and caused him to act as a kind of inimical force,

threatening the happiness of his family.

Other important characters described as being inwardly torn

are J u lia , Hedwiga, and K reisler (Kater Murr, Dichtungen,V, 89, 91,

239, 346, 347 , 378 , 381), Georg Haberland ("D oppeltgangerDichtungen,

VIII, 189), Berthold ("Jesuiterkirche," PW II, 498, 401, 505), Don

Juan (Dichtungen, I, 143, 151), Ferdinand ("Automate," Dichtungen,

I, 196 ), and Rat Krespel. Krespel's personality was a study in con­

trasts, as was that of his wife Angela, in her double role as ex­ quisite artist and shrewish wife, whose "ugly reverse side" included a "cloven hoof that occasionally could appear" ("Krespel," Dichtungen,

I , 254) and whose temper was so violent that Krespel considered her under the power of "the wicked spirit" (I, 252), All these characters have a number of things in common, besides their Zerrissenheit, All are artists, or artistically inclined. While Don Juan is not a character o rig in ally created by Hoffmann, his unique in terp retatio n of Mozart's figure serves to make the Don a genuinely Hoffmannian character, Kreisler and Haberland were plagued by real or imagined 19 doubles, and none of them were successful in love. The causes of

IQ ^ Jaffe, p, 244, believes the theme of the double in the works of the Romanticists betrays "die Spaltung ihres Wesens," 117

their torn natures, however, varied. Kreisler and Krespel are

described perfectly by Hoffmann/Theodor in SerapionsbrUder;

Das Missverhaltnis des innern GerriUts mit dem aussern Leben, welches der reizbare Mensch fUhIt, treibt ihn wohl zu besondern Grimassen, die die ruhigen Gesichter, Uber die der Schmerz so wenig Gewalt hat als die Lust, nicht be- greifen konnen, sondern sich nur darUber argern. (Dichtungen, X III, 289)

Thus the jurist Krespel concealed the violinist and violin builder and the ex-jurist Kreisler only late changed into a professional 20 musician, perhaps too late, as he himself admitted. Both give vent to their frustrations by means of an ironic sense of humor which is misunderstood and badly accepted by those who are not in sympathy with such nonconformists. Krespel's chief v io latio n , however, as he himself recognized, was his attempt to manipulate

Antonie's destiny:

Bleiben Sie, Herr Studiosus, halten Sie diese AusbrUche des Schmerzes, der mich mit Todesmartern zerreisst, nicht fUr Wahnsinn, aber es geschieht nur a llé s deshalb, weil ich mir vor einiger Zeit einen Schlafrock anfertigte, in dem ich aussehen wol1 te wie das Schicksal oder wie Gott I (Dichtungen, I, 24?)

His punishment was the loss of Antonie, the synthesis for him of art, beauty, youth, and the continuance of life through descendants.

The attempt at self-elevation is also the fatal fault of Don Juan, who attempted to gain the bliss of Heaven while still on earth.

Because he failed, he defied "Nature and the Creator" (Dichtungen,

I, 152) by seeking to elevate himself through the debasement of others,

20 Murr, Dichtungen V, 125. Cf. le tte r to Hippel, August 30, 1816. 118

Aber so verderbt, so zerrissen 1st sein GemUt, dass auch des Himmels Seligkeit keinen Strahl der Hoffnung in seine Seele wirft und ihn zum bessern Sein entzUndet I ("Don Juan," Dichtungen, I, 153)

The warnings of Leporello, Elvira, and the spirit of Anna's father could not save him who refused to recognize his error from the

"subterranean forces" that carried him off (I, 147).

The bridge between Kreisler's Zerrissenheit and his ultimate insanity is not known, although presumably it was connected with 21 Julia and her eventual relationship with Ignaz. Julia herself was torn between her simple, sweet nature as it was apparent to all who knew her, and the occasional bursts of sensuality toward Hektor

(Murr, Dichtungen, V, 397, 488), which were so distasteful to her sensibilities that she refused to consider the possibility that

Hektor might reciprocate her emotions. This actuality was quite apparent to Hedwiga, however, who confided her observation to Julia.

0 ewige Macht, rief Julia heftig, indem ihr die Tranen aus den Augen stU rzten, Hedwiga, w ills t du denn meine Brust zer­ reissen? Welcher fin s tre Geist spricht aus dir? (V, 381)

21 Julia is nearly a duplicate of Aurelie (Elixiere) in this respect as in most others. Thus Aurelie's realization that the Ideal she cherished in her heart was a monk: "Nun erst wusste ich, dass es frevelhafte Liebe gebe, mein Abscheu dagegen kampfte mit dem GefUhl, das meine Brust e rfU llte , und dieser Kampf machte mich auf eigne Weise reizbar." (PW II, 251) is similar to Julia's discovery that a physical attrac tio n did exist between her and Hektor: "Mit dem Gedanken an den Prinzen, an jene gefahrvollen Augenblieke regte sich in Julias tief- ste r Brust eine Empfindung, deren Bedrohlichkeit nur daran zu erkennen, dass sie die Scham weckte, die das wallende 8lut ihr in die Wangen, heisse Tranen ihr in die Augen trieb" (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 397). 119

Unable to accept the truth, Julia considered it the utterance of a dark spirit. Unlike Julia's naive, almost platonic, devotion to

Kreisler, Hedwiga's love for Kreisler, like the rest of her emotions, vacillated between two poles of violence, one positive and one negative (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 374, 377, 380, 389). The cleft in

Hedwiga's personality is closely related to that of Kreisler and

Krespel—"eine leidenschaftliche Verbitterung,. , . erzeugt von dem 22 M issverhaltnis des innern GefUhls mit der Gestaltung des Lebens,"

The dark-skinned, impetuous Hedwiga is as out of place in Irenaus' regulated, miniature court as is Kreisler himself (". . . sie

[erschien] in dem Kreise der fUrstlichen Familie wie eine Fremde. . . ,

V, 46),a fact of which she and the others are painfully aware.

22 This opposition between the inner and outer configurations of the self is dramatically illustrated in "Artushof," where Felizitas' insane father demanded that she disguise herself as a young man: "Nachstdem [the fath er's loss of a r t i s t ic powers] verfolgt ihn noch ein unglUckseliger Gedanke, der mir ein triibes zerrissenes Leben bereitet. . . ." (Dichtungen, VIII, 21). A similar situation occurs in "Datura," where Eugenius' misfitting wardrobe, inherited like everything else from Professor Helms, serves to symbolize his mis­ fitting life: "Sein jugendliches Gesicht, seine ganze Bildung stehe namlich mit seiner bis zum Bizarren altfrankischen Kleidung in solch wunderlichem Widerspruch, dass er ganz besondere Beweggriinde vermuten musse, die ihn notigten, sich auf die Weise zu verunstalten" (Dichtungen, IX, 256 f . ) .

Harich's assumption (Dichtungen, V, xi) that she is actually the daughter of Chiara and Meister Abraham has considerable merit, in spite of some difficulty in fitting in the ages of the characters involved. Hedwiga is about seventeen years old, yet Chiara, according to evidence in the story, is approximately the same age as K reisler, about th irty . 120

In addition, her hypersensitivity to telepathic suggestion and her helplessness during cataleptic seizures make her extremely vulnerable to infiltration by inimical forces. The final fate of Hedwiga, Julia, and even Kreisler is, of course, not known, but as the fragment ends, the destinies of all three appear extremely dark and interwoven with aspects of the inimical force--Hedwiga married to the evil Hektor,

Julia to the madly imbecilic Ignaz, and Kreisler insane.

Haberland ("Doppeltganger"), Berthold ("Jesuiterkirche"), and

Angela ("Krespel") could not reach their highest aspirations as artists until they were freed from the bonds of ordinary love affairs, which were, in the cases of Haberland and Berthold, especially critical, for they loved their Ideals, always an intolerable situation with Hoffmann. With the renunciation of prosaic happiness, their

Zerrissenheit vanished and their a r t i s t ic powers increased, for the a r t i s t 's kingdom, as Hoffmann always claimed, was not meant to be of this world. Ferdinand ("Automate"), like Haberland and Berthold, loved his Ideal and lost her, but it was this latter situation which brought about his psychological crisis. His fate is not explained, but the story does end on an optim istic note.

Sprinkled throughout Hoffmann's works are characters who are basically positive, but who harbor a spark of the inimical force for some reason, be it jealousy, uncontrolled temper, hatred, or a passion poorly restrained. Any of these states may serve as an entry to the inimical force, as Schubert points out (Traum, p. 162), and in the

SerapionsbrUder Hoffmann lumps such extravagances as undesirable along 121

with insanity; "Dass ich Wahnsinnige fliehs wie die Pest, versteht

sich wohl, aber schon Menschen von Uberreizter Fantasia, die sich auf

diese oder jene Wei se spleenisch aussert, sind mi r unheimlich und

fatal" (Dichtunqen, XIII, 288), Although the better nature of such

people usually wins out over the worse, they do not always escape 2k completely unscathed. Among individuals of this type are Xaver, whose spark of evil was fanned by his passion for HermenegiIda; and 25 Raphael, whose temper led him to try to kill young Melchior

Holzschuer, resulting in a harsh judgment of the young lovers by

Mathilde's father: ", . , so gewahr' ich denn, dass der Geist des

Bosen, der sein Wesen treibt in des wilden Jünglings verderblichem

Beginnen, schon Macht gewonnen liber dich" ("Feind," Pichtunqen, II, 26 297 ). In "Gast" it is young Moritz who succumbed momentarily to jealousy and hatred. Donna Anna ("Don Juan"), too, although she is

"a divine woman," has an aspect of Zerrissenheit, centered in her simultaneous passion and hatred for Don Juan, In Hoffmann's inter­

pretation, her seduction culminated the devil's attempts to spoil her:

Alle Kunst der Nolle konnte nur sia irdisch verderben , , , Don Ottavio wird niemals d i e umarmen, die frommes Gemlit davon r e tte te , des Satans geweihte Braut zu bleiben, ("Don Juan," Dichtunqen, I, 152, 154)

"GelUbde," Dichtunqen, II, 38: "Xaver, ein zwanzig- jahriger JUngling, in eigentlichen Liebeshandeln unerfahren, ent- faltete, von dem sichern Takt furs Bose im Innern geleitet, die Kunst des erfahrenen Meistets,"

"Feind," Dichtunqen, II, 297: "Wahr ist's, sein wildes ungezahmtes Temperament reisst ihn zu tollen übermütigen Streichen hin."

"Gast," Pi chtunqen, VI, 149: "Alle Furien der Nolle er- wachten in meines Freundes Brust, als er Angelikas Verbindung mit dem Grafen vernahm." 122

Thus of the above, only Moritz ("Gast") escaped completely any

lingering connection with the inimical force, Xaver's past guilt followed him into the monastery:

Darauf redete er den Monch polnisch an, dieser wandte sich voiler Schreck urn, kaum hatte er aber den FUrsten erblickt, als er sein Gesicht verhlillte und schnell, wie vom bosen Geist getrieben, durch die Geblische entfloh. ("GelUbde," Dichtunqen, II, 55 f .)

Donna Anna, though redeemed in s p ir i t, is le ft to fin ish her life a broken woman. The fate of Raphael ("Feind") remains a point of con- 27 jecture because of the brevity of the fragment.

The idea of "Zerrissenheit" is treated in a humorous manner in "Prinzessin Brambilla" (written in 1820). Here Celionati described Giglio as suffering from "chronic dualism," which he likened to the situation of the Siamese-twin princes, whose thinking went cross-wise so that neither could ever be sure whether he or his brother had originated a thought. The definition of this malady offered by the German artist Reinhold was rejected by Celionati, who preferred something more allegorical,

"Ich glaube," sprach Reinhold, "ich glaube, dass Ihr, Meister C elionati, mit Eurem chronischen Oualismus nichts anders meint, als jene seltsame Narrheit, in der das eigne Ich sich mit sich selb st entzw eit, worUber denn die eigne Personlichkeit sich nicht mehr festhalten kann." ("Brambilla," Dichtunqen, III, 413)

27 It is interesting to note in this connection Hippel's comment regarding an element of "Zerrissenheit" in Hoffmann's ' character, originating in his youthful bittersweet affair with Dora Hatt: "Er fUhlte es tief, wie sehr dieses Missverhaltnis [i.e. the joy of reciprocated love coupled with the sadness of knowing the affair would not lead to a lasting relationship] an seinen edelsten Kraften zehre, und verdankt er dieser Zeit gleich die vertraute 123

Indeed, this explanation, with its overtones of fear, is more

appropriate to describe the situation of a Madardus or an Elis

Frobom than that of Giglio, whose problem, reduced to essentials, was simply a choice between remaining a bad actor or becoming a

good one. The seeds of inner conflict were planted in Giglio not by an inimical force, but by the well-meaning Celionati, and the

personality that Giglio lost was fittingly embodied in the paste­ board dummy he "k ille d ," allowing his new, b etter personality to emerge and develop.

In sutrenary, it may be said that Hoffmann, like Schelling,

Schubert, and Boehme, adhered to the idea that the possibilities for good and evil are inherent in everyone, and that each person is free to follow his inner impulses as he sees f i t . Whether the evil or good force becomes stronger when it is favored, as Schubert believed, or when it is neglected, as Schelling thought, cannot be definitely determined in Hoffmann's concept, for Hoffmann accentuates the sub­ stance of the individual above the powers of the forces that beset him. While outside circumstances, too, may influence strongly the individual's ultimate direction, in the final analysis it is his own strength of character and ability to perceive and accept the truth which are most important in determining his path.

Bekanntschaft mit den Tiefen des menschlichen Herzens, die wir in seinen Schriften wiederfinden, , . , so brachte doch das Bewusstsein dieser Lage, wenn er dazu gelangte, eine Zerrissenheit in seine Seele, deren Wunden bis an seinen Tod noch kenntlich waren," "Hoffmann's Jugend," Gesammelte Werke, ed, Erne^ V, 147, CHAPTER IV

THE REALM OF DARKNESS AND ITS INHABITANTS

There is considerable merit in the statement of Negus regarding Hoffmann's underworld:

Hoffmann's underworld is not clearly circumscribed and organized. It is definitely to be contrasted with the upper regions of his primeval world, a kind of Paradise. Hoffmann's hell does not lend itself to clear analysis, for it is a black, bottomless abyss, containing a negative principle manifesting itself irrationally in blind de­ struction of creativity, (p. 82)

However, examination of the various aspects of th is "underworld" does reveal the presence of several distinguishable areas, even though their borders are never very clear: the traditional conception of

Hell, the area inhabited by subterranean spirits such as those of earth, fire, and metal, the realm of the spirits of the dead, the repository of past time, the exile of Hoffmann's nature goddess, the unconscious and primitive portions of the human mind, those aspects of reality which are considered inimical to the person in­ volved, and parts of the actual landscape. These various areas sometimes overlap or symbolize each other. Thus the mouth of the mine at Falun and the mine itself, an actual site with no further significance to the hundreds of miners who work there every day, is described as if it were the gates to Hell ("Falun," Dichtungen, IX,

195 f.), is considered by Torbern as the home of the metal prince,

124 125 also functions as the entrance to Elis Frobom's underground fantasy world, and symbolizes his insanity. The deep-lying ruins left by the collapse of the astrological tower in "Majorat" symbolize the ingrained negative attitu d e s of the Barons of R --sitten which ultimately caused the collapse of their lineage. A comparison of the various areas mentioned above will point out their similarities and differences.

Demons and Elemental S p irits

The abyss as the haunt of Satan and his evil spirits, into which the sinner will be swallowed up, is mentioned, frequently rhetorically, in "Datura fastuosa":

"Ja," r ie f die Professorin mit erhohter Stimme, "ja I in des Teufels Schlingen sind Sie, Eugeni us I Schon hat der Bose Macht iiber Sie, schon streckt er seine Krai 1 en aus, Sie hinabzureissen in den Pfuhl ewigen Verderbens I— Eugeni us I lassen Sie ab von dem Teufel und seinen Werken, es ist Ihre Mutter, die Sie bittet, beschwort—" (Dichtungen, IX, 270) and in a number of other works,^ and while a detailed description is lacking, the elements of falseness, great depth, and darkness are predominant. Fire and sulfur are introduced as attributes of the 2 denizens of this realm, who may materialize from a shower of sparks

' Elixiere, PW II, 14/, 363; "Majorat," Dichtunqen, II, 79; "Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 56 ; "Krespel," Dichtungen, I , 234; "Pivardiere," Dichtungen, XI, 337 f .

^ "SiIvester-Nacht," Dichtungen, V, 3I f .: "Die Morgenrote war hoch heraufgestiegen, der Diener stiess die Fackel auf dem Stein, pflaster aus, aber in den aufsprUhenden Funken stand plotzlich eine seltsame Figur vor Erasmus. . . ." It is Dapertutto, 126 3 or appear in a glow of flaming red and disappear in a cloud of k sulfurous smoke. The true nature of Trabacchio's house, in which

so many human sacrifices had taken place in the presence of Satan,

also came to light when it collapsed and burned:

. . , Flammen prasselten aus dem Abgrunde hervor, die wUtend um sich griffen und allés rings umher erfassten, ( " D e n n e r Dichtungen, IX, 119)

^ "Kampf,” Pi chtungen,X, 102: "... eine grosse, von rotem Feuerglanze umflossene Gestalt stand vor ihm und schaute ihn an mit glUhenden, tUckischen Augen" (Nasias).

"E lem entargeistPi chtunqen, VI, 24$: "Bald kam mi r aber das traumerische GefUhl, als umflosse mich ein strahlender Glanzl—Ich erwachte, ich schlug die Augen auf: wirklich glanzte das Gemach in magischem Schimmer" (Aurora).

"Penner," Pichtungen, IX, 104: "Ein blutroter Schimmer drang durch, und in ihm trat eine Gestalt hinein . . ." (Irabacchio).

^ "Kampf," Pichtungen, X, 104, l l ) : "Wie der Sturm brauste er f o r t, und ein erstickender Schwefeldampf erfU llte das Gemach" and ", . , die Schergen . . . griffen in eine schwarze Rauchwolke, die sich brausend und zischend erhob und schnell in den Liiften ver- dampfte" (Nasias).

"SiIvester-Nacht," Pichtungen, VI, 46: "Giulietta—Oapertutto ver- schwanden im dicken stinkenden Oampf, der wie aus den Wanden quoll, die Lichter verloschend."

"Penner," Pi chtungen, IX, 12/: "Herr, Ihr habt einen bosen Kumpan im Hause. Zu dem kommt der Gottseibeiuns I durchs Fanster und geht wieder ab in Rauch und Oampf" (Irabacchio).

Sulfur is also connected with Torbern ("Falun," Pichtungen, IX, 205): "Mit eins gewahrte er dicht neben sich einen schwarzen Schatten und erkannte, da eben ein schneidender Luftstrom den Schwefeldampf ver- blies, den alten Bergmann von Gothaborg, der ihm zur Seite stand." 127

Hoffmann provides his most evil characters with trappings typically associated with Satan as far as appearance and clothing are concerned: fiery eyes, a red cloak or beard, a feathered hat, and a piercing voice and devilish laugh,^ The descriptions of

Dapertutto, Irabacchio, and Nasias are almost interchangeable, while that of the black stranger in "Kampf der Sanger," who is probably

Nasias in disguise, is also very sim ilar,^ They possess superhuman abilities of various sorts. Oapertutto and Irabacchio appear and disappear magically, through walls if necessary, and the devil figure(s) in "Kampf" can fly and change form at wi11--becoming tin y , assuming

^ "SiIvester-Nacht," Dichtungen, VI, 37» "Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 249; "Penner," Dichtungen, IX, 120,

^ "SiIvester-Nacht," Dichtungen, VI, 32: "... ein langer diirrer Mann mit spitzer Habichtsnase, funkelnden Augen, hamisch ver- zogenem Munde, im feuerroten Rock mit strahlenden Stahlknopfen, D e r lachte und r ie f mit unangenehm gel lender Stimme, , , ,"

"Denner," Dichtungen, IX, 104: "GlUhender [als Danners] funkelten die Augen, schwarzer starrte das struppige Haar auf der Stirn empor, und tie fe r senkten sich die fin stern Augenbrauen in die dicke Muskel herab, die liber der krummgebogenen Habichtsnase lag, Auf grasslich selt­ same Weise war das Gesicht verschrumpft und verzerrt und die Kleidung fremd und abenteuerlich, , , . Ein feuerroter, mit Gold stark ver- bramter weiter Mantel hing in bauschichten Falten der Gestalt liber die Schultern, ein breiter niedergekrempter spanischer Hut mit herab- hangender roter Feder sass schief auf dem Kopfe, ein langer Stossdegen hing an der Seite, , . , [Er sprach] in hohlem dumpfen Tone. , , ,"

"Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 102 f ,: "Da sprang Nasias , , , mit seinem roten Mantelchen und der dicken Halskrause , . , widrig quakend und miauend , . , 'Hei, h e i,' r ie f Nasias dann mit hohler, entsetzlicher Stimme , , ,"; and p, 73: "Aber der Schwarze schlug nochmals ein gellendes Gelachter auf, und dabei fiel ein Strahl in sein leichen- blasses Antlitz, dass Ofterdingen die wi1dfunkelnden Augen, die ein- gefallnen Wangen, den spitzigen rotlichen Bart, den zum grinsenden Lachen verzogenen Mund, die schwarze reiche Kleidung, das schwarz- befiederte Barett des Fremden recht deutlich gewahren konnte,"

Only the helpful little devil in "Dei" varies from this pattern, per­ haps appearing mild in contrast with the villainy attributed to Napoleon (Dichtungen, XI, 27). 128

Heinrich's form, and, like Dapertutto also , becoming "riesengross

an adjective favored above all others by Hoffmann to describe an

evil character, and which never appears in the description of a

virtuous one. Thus at one time or another, besides Nasias/the black

stranger and Dapertutto, Torbern, Coppelius, the central character in

the sketch "Aus dem Leben eines bekannten Mannes," the witches in

"Berganza," Major O'Malley, and the Danish Major are described as

being "riesengross,"^ and war is compared to "an iron giant"

("Dichter und Komponist," Dichtungen, XIII, 124).

Hoffmann's sensitivity to dissonance led him to connect ugly sounds with insanity and evil, as has been mentioned in the section dealing with insanity. Although it appears in a humorous passage, a comment of the conductor in "Sanctus" displays serious undertones:

"Glaubt Ihr nicht, dass der Teufel ein Tenorist ist? Er ist falsch wie--der Teufel, und daher macht er allés im Falsett'." to which the traveling Enthusiast replied: "Ihr habt recht, lassen wir dem teuflischen Prinzip allés überhohe unnatürliche Gepfeife, Gequieke uswl' ("Sanctus," Dichtungen, VIII, 95). Hoffmann does, indeed, introduce evil spirits in serious as well as humorous works with these same unpleasant noises:

Da gel 1 te und heulte es in schneidenden Misstonen, und es rauschte wie mit schwarzen Rabenfittichen im Zimmer umher. ("Silvaster-Nacht," Dichtungen, VI, 46)

^ "SiIvester-Nacht," Dichtunqen, VI, 45» "Falun," Dichtungen, IX, 192, 195» "Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 97» "Aus dem Leben eines bekannten Mannes," Dichtungen, VI, 195; "Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 252; "Gast," Dichtungen, IX, 6. Cf. also "Feind," Dichtungen, I I , 262. 129

, . . mit einer Stimme, die so kreischend und misstonend war, dass man wohl den Satan selbst darin erkannte. . . . ("Feînd," Dichtungen, I I , 262)

The traditional notion of Satan's (and God's) ability to Q assume any form is used extensively by Hoffmann as an accoutrement of his devil figures and his elemental spirits. The various faces of Nasias have already been mentioned. The form of a bat was the favorite guise of the devil in "Denner" and was also used in "Aus dem Leben eines bekannten Mannes." Other forms are a black dog or other ugly animal ("Magnétiseur"), a glowing red rooster with an tlers

("Denner"), a mouse ("Brautwahl"), the physiognomy of another person

(a spirit took on the form of O'Malley in "Elementargeist" and Satan appeared as Andres in "Denner").

The witches in "Topf" and "Feind" could alternate in a moment between looking like neat, respectable housewives and typical witches, and Liese could also change herself into a coffee can, a door knocker, and according to Jaffd^(pp. 340 ff.), a white snake.

g Cf. "Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 233» Elixiere, PW II, 143; "Formica," Dichtungen, VIII, 2/0, 299» "Feind," Dichtungen II, 264; "Topf," Dichtungen, III, 66; "Denner," Dichtungen, IX, 128, 9 Georg Conrad Horst, Damonomagie, oder Geschichte des Glaubens an Zauberei und damonische Wunder, mit besonderer Beruck- sichtigung des Hexenprocesses sei t den Zeiten Innocentius des Achten. Nebst einer ausflihr 1 ichen, nach Inquisitionsacten bearbeiteten Beschreibung des Hexenthurms zu Lindheim in der W etterau, als eines Beitrags zu den al terthumlichen Denkwurdigkeiten in den Grossherzog- lich-Hessischen Landen (Frankfurt am Main, 1818), I, 92.

Underhi11, p. 289.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet, II, ii, 596, 130

Aurora's transformation from a seductive, fiery siren into

a pudgy, middle-aged baroness was not entirely caused by the passage

of time ("Elementargeist"). The Salamander/Archivarius Lindhorst

could alternate in rapid order from his human form into a hawk ("Topf,"

Dichtungen, III, 38) and a "Prince of Spirits" (III, 60 ), while his

daughter Serpentina could change from a snake into a girl. Among

the other elemental s p ir its created by Hoffmann, King Daucus Carota

eventually reverted into the form of a carrot, and the ugly gnome

king Pepser assumed the guises of a sad istic schoolmaster and a huge,

black fly .

Perhaps the most perplexing of Hoffmann's changeable

characters is the revenant goldsmith Leonhard ("Brautwahl"), who

is able to assume a fox face (Dichtungen, VII, I60 ) and the outward

appearance of a black stove (VII, 227). Although he was suspected

by Tusmann of being Satan him self, which notion Leonhard not only

did not deny, but even encouraged, the source of his magical

a b ilitie s is not made plain. Since he worked for the good of a l l ,

and especially furthered Lehsen's artistic career, he was obviously

not motivated by evil forces, and indeed seemed to perform his trick s

in the spirit of joy in the ridiculous rather than malice.

Those representatives of the inimical force who stand perhaps

a cut lower than those mentioned above because they are clearly human, even though their motives may be extremely diabolical, share a number of the same physical attributes, which stamp them as evil. While the 131 true demons are usually described as being very ugly,'® their assistants on the human level vary from equal ugliness (Coppelius)," through a certain attractiveness which has deteriorated (the Danish 12 Major) and Alban's masklike handsomeness, which not quite opaque, sometimes permits a glance at the real, ugly countenance which reflects his character,'^ to the sinister, darkly attractive type represented by Graf S--i, Fermi no i/alies, Graf von Zelies, Klingsohr, 14 Prince Hektor, and the monk Cyprianus. Most of them are described as tall, slim, dark, pale, hook-nosed, and with the fiery, dark eyes already mentioned,'^ They are not able to change their form, they cannot fly (although the Danish Major and Alban do pass through locked doors), and their fiery aspect is limited to the devilish flame in their black eyes,'^ Even the ridiculous little Magus in

"Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 102: "Die Gestalt war von solch greulichem Ansehen. . . ." Cf. also p. 115.

" "Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 5/: "... wir .. . ver- wUnschten den hasslichen, feindlichen Mann. . . ." 12 "Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 6; ". . . er mochte in jUngern Jahren ein schoner Mann gewesen sein. . . ."

"Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 35f 38, 42, 55.

"Gast," Dichtungen, VI, 116: "Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 255; "Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 1/4; "Kampf," Dichtungen,X, 92; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 199, 418, 430.

von Schaukal, p. 254: "... vom ' G eisterseher' stammen a lle Hoffmannschen Magnetiseure und sonstigen unheimlichen Gaste. . . .'

Elixiere, PW II, 67 (Euphemie); "Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 6 f.(Danish Major), and p. 35 (Alban); "Denner," Dichtungen, IX, 67 (Ignaz Denner); "Gast," Dichtungen, IX, 7 (S—i); "Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 174 (Zelies); "Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 92 (Klingsohr); "Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 267 (Fermino) and p. 276 (Gabriel la). 132

"Irrungen-Geheimnisse" displays unmistakable characteristics of the

inimical force through his big black eyes, the ruddy glow which

surrounds him at night, his red robe, and his fiery glowing crown,

True to their false natures, these characters are masters at dis­

guising their true inimical purposes, so that Alban pretended to

heal Marie while he actually caused her illness and planned to destroy

her, Ignaz Denner hid his diabolical plan to slaughter his grandsons

and enmesh Andres in his band of criminals behind his generosity to

the family, Graf S—i managed always to appear to the women as

"ein Himmelsbote des Sieges und des Glucks" ("Gast," Pi chtungen,

VI, 136 ) while he was secretly plotting to win Angelika for himself

by making her forget Moritz, Prince Hektor ostensibly wooed Princess

Hedwiga, while actually hoping to seduce Julia with his o ily ex­

pressions of love, etc, A variation of this theme of the villain's

attempt to mislead his victim in order to harm him occurs in every work in which the inimical force plays a prominent role.

The Theme of the Mask and M ultiplicity of Evi1

Hoffmann was fascinated by the theme of the mask behind which evil disguises itself as good, good is mistaken for evil, and one thing seems to be another, an idea expressed by Schubert:

Es giebt . , . ein Damonisches, welches das Bose als etwas Gutes rühmt und angesehen haben will und welches deshalb , . , die Wahrheit zur Luge verkehrt. Es giebt auch ein

"Irrungen," Dichtungen, XI, I 89, 205, 223, 133

Damonisches, was das Gute lobt um es verdachtig zu machen, (Traum, footnote pp. 89 f.)

This fascination on Hoffmann's part is recognized by Jaffe^in her discussion of Hoffmann's relationship with Julia Mark (p. 259), for

Hoffmann was not able to accept Julia at face value either, but was

led to analyze the various aspects of her character as it was known to him and to question the nature of her motives and the effects of them and the to ta lity of her personality upon him;

Es bleibt noch von der gestrigen hochst exotischen Stimmung viel zu bemerken—Ktch—Ktch—Ktch. 0 Satanas-- Satanas—Ich glaube, dass irgend etwas hochpoetisches hinter diesem Daemon spukt, und in so fern ware Ktch nur als Maske anzusehen. . . . (Diary, January 19» 1812)

The "something highly poetical" which developed behind the "demon" of his passion for Julia was, of course, his theory of the artist's

love, and the results of his efforts to analyze and express the individual facets hidden behind Julia's mask emerge plainly as the

"Ju lias" in his works, ranging from Julia Benzon, K reisler's se lfle ss and sweet, if somewhat cool, music pupil, through the stable and practical Julias Foerd, mother and daughter, into the former of whom

Hoffmann projected his concept of the mature Julia to come ("Das steinerne Herz"), to the peevish-demonic Julia/Giulietta, capable of great tenderness, but also of cruelty and destruction ("SiIvester-

Nacht"), Besides these, whom Hoffmann could not resist identifying by name, exist also the painfully biographical Cacilie/Julia of

"Berganza" and the ethereal idealized songstress of "Ombra adorata."

The blind acceptance of the mask as a real face, without attempting to penetrate to the truth hidden behind it, is very 134

dangerous, Hoffmann tells his reader again and again, for things

are seldom what they seem; "Der Teufel narrt uns mit Puppen, denen er Engelsfittiche angeleimt" ("Jesuiterkirche," PW II, 485). This

statement describes particularly well the Olimpia situation in

"Sandmann" and Medardus' fan tastic dream, in which Aurelie seemed

to appear, saying "Ich lebe und bin nun ganz dein I" only to change

in Medardus' embrace:

" . . , aber da legt es sich glUhend an meine Brust — rauhe Borsten zerkratzen meine Augen, und der Satan lacht gel lend auf: 'Nun bist du ganz mein I'" (Elixiere. PW II, 281)

Fear of the evil reality behind a mask is an important theme in the Novellen "Scuderi," "SpielerglUck," and "Denner," Olivier remained silen t regarding his knowledge of C ardillac’s crimes to protect Madelon:

Das Herz durchbohrt' es mir, wenn ich daran dachte, dass trafe einmal die Rache den entlarvten Bosewicht, sie ja mit aller hollischen List des Satans getauscht, der grasslichsten Verzweiflung unterliegen musse. ("Scuderi," Dichtungen, II, 226) and Angela feared, with r ig h t, that her husband would revert to his old habits:

. . . der fUrchter1iche Gedanke [trat] in ihre Seele, dass der Chevalier die Maske des Engels abwerfen und, in ursprUnglicher Teufelsgestalt sie verhohnend, sein altes Leben wieder beginnen konnte, ("SpielerglUck," Dichtungen, XI, 92)

This "old life" was composed of gambling, and the demonic nature of it was discovered by the Chevalier only after he had lost everything, including his wife:

Ach . . , eben dieses Gluck is t die en tsetzlich ste hamischste Verlockung der feindl ichen Macht', . . , 135

0 sieh doch nur die Damonen ihre Krailenfauste ausstrecken, dich hinabzureissen in den Orkus i ("SpielerglUck," Dichtungen, XI, 70 f .)

Andres wanted to believe Ignaz' pious protestations that he was resist­

ing the temptation of rejoining his devilish father:

Er [irabacchio] will, dass ich mich ihm wieder zuwende und der Frommigkeit, dem Hei1 meiner Seele entsage, allein ich bin standhaft geblieben und glaube nicht, dass er wieder- kehren wird, da er gesehen, dass er nicht mehr Uber mich Macht hat. , , . ("Denner," Dichtungen, IX, 128)

but he recognized Denner's perfidy in time to save young Georg.

After Rosabelverde's spell had been broken ("Zaches"), Candida realized

that she had been victim ized by a mask of magic:

Nun erzahlte sie, allés, ailes um sich her vergessend, wie ein boser abscheulicher Traum sie verstrickt, wie es ihr vorgekommen, als habe sich ein hasslicher Unhold an ihr Herz gelegt. . . . Der Unhold habe sich zu ver- stellen gewusst, dass er ausgesehen wie Balthasar. . . . ("Zachesi' Dichtungen, III, 236 )

Similarly Viktor ("Elementargeist") saw in the fiery Aurora a "child

of the gods" and "heavenly being" (Dichtungen, VI, 246) until he

discovered the price of her love. In spite of his successful pene­

tration of two of Aurora's masks (as O'Malley's seductive assistant and

as the baroness), her final identity nevertheless remained a mystery

to V iktor, as did J u lia 's to Hoffmann, for Aurora's evasive answer

to V iktor's questions: " . . . ein dUstres Schicksal [hat] mich dazu

verdammt, bestandig ein anderes Wesen zu scheinen, als ich wirklich

bin" (VI, 255) is only a variation of Julia's confession to Hoffmann:

"Sie kennen mich nicht--m eine Mutter auch nicht--niem and--ich muss so

vieles tief in mich verschliessen--ich werde nie glücklich sein--"

(Diary, April 25, 1812), but projected into the future. 136

The involuntariness of some of the wearers of masks has

already been mentioned above in the cases of Aurora ("Elementargeist")

and Liese ("Topf"). Other instances in which masks are thrust upon women with tragic results occur in "Jesuiterkirche" and Murr. The

disappointment of Berthold ("Jesuiterkirche") in finding that his

ideal was only human, a woman who, in his eyes, wore the mask of

the Divine, turned his love for Angiola to hatred and broke his a r tis tic power;

Mein Weib gebar mir einen Sohn, das vollendete mein El end, und der lange verbaltena Grol1 brach aus in hell auf- flammenden Hass, Sie, sie a llein schuf mein Ungllick. Nein--sie war nicht das Ideal, das mir erschien, nur mir zum rettungslosen Verderben hatte sie trUgerisch jenes Himmelsweibes Gestalt und Gesicht geborgt. ("Jesu iter­ kirche," PW II, 505 f .)

Jealousy caused the monk Cyprianus (Murr) to see his marriage, in retro sp ect, as a " te rrib le test . . . which Heaven imposed upon me" and his wife Angela's purity and virtue as "a hellish deception of the devil" (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 520 f,). Of course there is little or no evidence in either story to support these extremely negative views, but both women were nonetheless presumably murdered by their husbands, who felt themselves betrayed by their masks, no matter how innocently they were worn.

Not only individual people wear masks. The problem of seeming versus being is dramatically illustrated by the entire garden of Count

Angelo Mora, which is described by Fermino as "a l i t t l e Eden"

("Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 70), and Eugenius found it to be a magical paradise, filled with "Himmelstonen" (IX, 270):

"Woher," r ie f Eugenius b e g e istert, "woher diese Tone des Himmels?—Keiner Sterblichen Brust kann ihre Heimat sein." (IX, 276 ) 137

The singer, Countess Gabriel la Mora, appeared like the goddess of love, and although Fermino promised Eugenius that the garden and

Gabriel la's love placed him "at the golden gates of a glorious

Eden" (IX, 284), the old Professorin's version of the situation;

"Die Pforte des Verderbens ist geoffnet, und der Diener steht be- reit, das Opfer zu empfahenwas actually closer to the truth, for the garden was a demonic tra p , i ts luxuriant growth as fraudulently produced as Gabriel la's nobility. The true nature of the garden became evident by night, when the golden brightness was replaced by the infernal elements of darkness and fire:

Es war eine dunkle schwUle Nacht. Horbar sauselte der Atem der Natur durch das schwarze Geblisch, und wie feurige Schlangen strahlten Blitze am fernen Horizont. . . . endlich erschien Fermino, offnete und führte ihn in das matt erleuchtete Gewachshaus, wo er ihn in einer dunkeln Ecke verbarg. (IX, 207)

A similar situation is presented in "Bergwerke zu Falun," in Elis' imaginary underground paradise, as exotic in its own way as the garden of Angelo Mora:

Er blickte in die paradiesische Gefilde der herrlichsten Metal 1 baume und Pflanzen, an denen wie Früchte, BlUten und Blumen feuerstrahlende Steine hingen. Er sah die Jungfrauen, er schaute das hohe Antlitz der machtigen Konigin. (Dichtungen, IX, 210)

Only in lucid moments did Elis re a liz e the demonic nature of the mine:

Alle Herrlichkeit, die ihn unten in der Teufe mit der hochsten Wonne erfU llt, erschien ihm jetzt wie eine Nolle voll tro stlo se r Q,ual, trUgerisch ausgeschmUckt zur verderblichen VerlockungI (IX, 213)

Similarly the luxuriantly splendid court of Daucus Carota, the vegetable gnome king, as he displayed it to impress Annchen, 138 contrasted sharply with its appearance when viewed "behind the scenes" where its true nature as a "dark, demonic realm" ("Konigs- braut," Dichtungen, Mil, 297) became evident:

. . . was erblickte sie statt des schonen Gemlisegartens, s ta t t der Karotten-Garde, der Plümage-Damen, der Lavendel- Pagen, der Salat-Prinzen und allés dessen, was ihr so wunderbar herrlich erschienen war?--In einen tiefen Pfuhl sah sie hi nab, der mit einem farblosen, ekelhaften Schlamm gefUllt schien. Und in diesem Schlamm regte und bewegte sich aller lei hassliches Volk aus dem Schosse der Erde. (VII, 299)

Less frequently than evil masking as good, Hoffmann depicts good mistaken for evil, as when Peregrinus mulled over the weird adventures in which he suddenly found himself:

Bin ich dem Schwungrad zu nahe gekommen, das fin stere unbekannte Machte treiben, und hat es mich erfasst in seinen Schwingungen? . . . Wie, wenn hinter dieser wunderlichen Maske eines Flohs ein boser Damon stake, der mich verlocken wollte ins Verderben. . . . ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 568)

Other similar instances of this type take place in Elixiere, where 18 Medardus believed his revenant ancestor to be Satan himself, in

"Brambilla," where Giglio believed the worst of Celionati and 19 Bescapi, in "Doge und Dogaressa," where old Beatrice's ugliness 20 caused Antonio to suspect her, and in "Doppeltganger," where the

Elixiere, PW II, 122: "'Hebe dich weg,' schrie ich ausser mir, 'du bist selbst der Satan, du bist der frevelnde Mord, aber Uber mich hast du keine Macht I'"

"Brambilla," Dichtungen, III, 296: ", , . er versicherte, dass der Teufel selbst in der Gestalt des verdammten Quacksalbers Celionati ihn verlockt. . . and p. 306: "Wo nur der Teufel, der Bescapi wohnen magi" See also p. 295,

"Doge," Dichtungen, X, 149: "Schaue ich . . , deine s e lt- samen schwarzen, blitzenden Augen, deine spitze Nase, deine blauen Lippen, dein langes Kinn, dein struppiges eisgraues Haar an, hor' ich dein widriges Kichern und lachen . . . so mocht' ich . . . gar glauben, irgend verruchte Mittel stUnden dir zu Gebote, mich an dich zu locken." 139

prince wrongfully banished his innocent wife and child, recognizing

only much later that he had acted under the influence of "satanical

delusion" (Dichtunqen, VIII, 222). In every case the truth about

the person wrongfully accused was realized only gradually as the

accuser learned more and more facts about himself and the situation

in which he was involved. Thus Peregrinus soon recognized Meister

Floh's unfailing loyalty, demonstrated by his willingness to sacri­

fice his own interests for Peregrinus' sake. Medardus understood

the old painter's purpose only after he determined to reform.

Giglio realized that Bescapi and Celionati were trying to help him

when he accepted the fact that he was a bad actor and needed help.

Antonio recognized in Beatrice his old nurse only when his memory

returned, and the prince realized his error when confronted by his

son and the n obility of his best frien d .

Closely related to the theme of the mask is that of the multiplicity of evil. Behind a lesser evil stands a greater one,

eagerly waiting to pounce upon the hapless victim who is taken in by

the attractive, or at least harmless-looking facade of the first.

This principle is recognized by von Schaukal:

Der Widersacher bedient sich ste ts des Weibes als der reizenden Verkorperung der SUnde, die den vom Sinnestrieb beherrschten in die Verdammnis lockt. (p. 254)

Without question, the conspirators Giulietta-Dapertutto ("SiIvester-

Nacht"), Gabriella-Fermino ("Datura"), Aurora-0'Mai ley ("Elementar­ g e is t" ), and 01impia-Coppola ("Sandmann") are examples of the m ulti­ plicity of evil in which a beautiful woman is used as a lure. How­ ever, other cases exist where this is not true, which would indicate 140

that von Schaukal's "stets” is an overstatement. In the sketch

"Aus dem Leben eines bekannten Mannes,” for example, not a single

attractive woman appears, yet all of Berlin was fooled by the

popular stranger, Satan himself, and his ugly old accomplice, the witch Barbara Roloffin. Of course, both were wearing "masks” of

sorts, he in his pose as a paragon of "piety, virtue, generosity,

and morality” (Dichtunqen, VI, 191), and she in her role as trusted midwife. Just as Satan rescued Barbara from the pyre in answer to

her pleas, he aided the witch from FUrth ("Feind” ) in carrying out 21 her curse against the women of Nürnberg,

The fairy tale inimical force, Magister Tinte/Pepser, used toys to entice the children away from their games of fantasy and to

inhibit their imagination. When the children found that the toys were lifeless imitations of the things they were supposed to represent, they broke them, to the relief of their father, who had sensed the toys' purpose:

, , , im Grunde genommen i s t 's mir recht lie b , dass sie die fremdartigen Spielsachen, die sie nur verwirrten und beangstigten, los sind, ("Das fremde Kind,” Dichtungen, VII, 102)

Later the toys threatened the children and confessed their evil connections :

Wart I, du Junge, du Madel, wir sind die gehorsamen Zoglinge des Herrn Magister Tinte, gleich wird er hier sein, und da warden wir euch euren Trotz schon eintranken', (VII, 134)

21 "Feind,” Dichtungen, I I , 262: "Der Satan u n terliess nicht, seiner Dienerin kraftig beizustehen, und in alle Weiber NUrnbergs fuhr das unwiderstehliche GelUste, sich in Eierkorbe zu setzen und die darin befindliche Ware zu zerbrechen, , , ,” \k\

The multiform character of evil consists of three parts in

"Ignaz Denner," for behind Denner, whose "soul had been sold to the

Devil even before he had reached the age of reason" (Dichtunqen, IX,

120) in a kind of black baptism, stood his father. Dr. Irabacchio,

whose magical powers stemmed d irectly from his alliance with Satan,

On approximately the same level with Denner was Trabacchio's witch-

housekeeper, who assisted him in his endeavors, as Denner did.

While Satan rescued Irabacchio from the pyre, the witch-housekeeper was left to burn, and eventually Danner, too, was allowed to be killed. It might be said that Giorgina, Andres' wife and Denner's daughter, is cast in the role of feminine lure, for through her

Denner hoped to reach Andres, However, her com plicity, if it may be called that, was unintentional on her part and she was depicted by

Hoffmann as a pious woman, but lacking the ability to sense evil, a characteristic which is so often present in Hoffmann's pure spirits, and the lack of which might cast some doubt upon the perfection of

Giorgina's character. In "Kampf der Sanger," the Countess Mathilde is simultaneously victim and unwitting decoy, for Heinrich was led

astray primarily because of his desire to win her. While Heinrich

was obviously the lowest member of the evil trio involved, the

relative positions of Klingsohr and Nasias are not quite so readily

determined. While Klingsohr was human and Nasias a demon, Klingsohr 22 nonetheless had the power to command Nasias, and one must assume

Thus Klingsohr says: "Ihr habt rech t, Wolfframb von Eschinbach, Uber fin s tre Machte gebietet meine Wissenschaft , . ," and Nasias; "Ein guter Theologe magst du [Wolfframb] sein und dich wohl verstehen auf die . , , Lehren Eures dicken Buchs, aber darum b ist du noch kein Sanger, der sich messen kann mit mir und meinem Mei s t e r ," 142

that a kind of Faustian arrangement existed between the two.

Similarly an unwitting decoy and prospective victim is Madelon

("Scuderi"), for love of whom Olivier became the accessory after the

fact of Cardillac, who in turn blamed his "evil star" for his crimes, considering himself only a tool of this star, and personally com- 23 pletely innocent.

Frequently singled out for mention as an instrument of the

inimical force is Napoleon:

Überhaupt ist mir dieser Buonaparte immer das sichtbar schneidende Schwert der dunkeln geheimnisvollen Macht gewesen. Immer nur Werkzeug, nie M eister, ("Der Dei von Elba in Paris," Dichtungen, XI, 33)

He is called "das geharnischte UngetUm" and "den Damon" ("Erscheinungen," 24 Dichtungen, II, 5), and his wars are called a "drama of Hell"

("GelUbde," Dichtungen, II, 36 ) and compared to the horrors of the deep:

Wir haben eine Zeit gesehen, die wie ein wUtender Orkan Uber die Erde dahinbrauste. Die menschliche Natur, in ihrer

"Scuderi," Dichtungen, I I , 234: "Manchmal wird mir Wunderlich im GemUte—eine innere Angst, die Furcht vor irgend etwas Entsetzlichem, dessen Schauer aus einem fernen Jenseits herUber wehen in die Zeit, ergreift mich gewaltsam. Es ist mir dann sogar, als ob das, was der bose Stern begonnen durch mich, meiner unsterblichen Seele, die daran keinen Teil hat, zugerechnet werden konne." Cf. other works in which fa te , good or bad, is blamed on the sta rs: "Konigsbraut," Dichtungen, VII, 253; Murr, Dichtungen V, 78 , 502, 227; "SpielerglUck," Dichtungen, XI, 93; "Topf," Dichtungen III, 20; "Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 83. 24 "Erscheinungen," Dichtunqen, II, 5: . . denn in jedes Brust schnitt der Damon tiefe Wunden. . . ." Cf. Elixiere, PW II, 317 : "'0 Herr,' fuhr Belcampo fort, 'noch ist die Stelle so emp- findlich, wo Euch die feindliche Macht tiefe Wunden schlug?'"; and "Zusammenhang," Djchtungen, XI, 143, where the French are considered a devilish force. 143

tiefsten Tiefe erschUttert, gebar das Ungeheure, wie das sturmbewegte Meer die entsetzlichen Wunder des Abgrunds emporschleudert auf den tosenden Well en. ("Zusammenhang," Dichtungen, XI, I 30)

Any admiration of this "unfettered dragon" ("Dei," Dichtungen, XI, 24) is represented as a state of grave error:

In tiefen Gedanken, ganz erfU lIt von den Heldentaten jenes Mannes, den die PoJen damais anbeteten wie ein falsches Gotzenbild. . . , ("GelUbde," Dichtungen, II, 41)

In the sketch "Vision auf dem Schiachtfelde bei Dresden" Napoleon is given all the accoutrements of a satanical creature--a gigantic figure developing from a column of black smoke in the presence of a reddish glow emanating from below (Dichtungen, XI, 3)f and his demonic character is expressed even more plainly in "Dei":

Der Damon entsprang aus dem Kreise, in den ihn zu bannen endlich gel ungen war, und mit dieser Tat schlug er an die ehernen Pforten seines finstern, entsetzlichen Reichs an, dass die Hoilengeister aus der Ohnmacht erwachen und ihre blutige Krailen ausstrecken sollen nach allem Wahren, Rechten, Hei1igen I (Dichtungen, XI, 25)

A far less definitely negative instrument of the inimical force is Viktorin (Elixiere), who, in spite of his complete loss of s e lf ("So war der in verruchter SUnde erzeugte Bruder das vom Teufel beseelte Prinzip. . . ." PW II, 36 O), was simultaneously also an instrument of Heaven, according to the insight of the dying Aurelie, for by interrupting her and Medardus' wedding day and, fin a lly , by fa ta lly wounding Aurelie, Viktorin freed the lovers from further earthly temptation and preserved them for that perfect love "which reigns beyond the stars" (PW I I, 357). 144

The Domain of the Elemental Spirits

Except for the description of the kingdom of Daucus Carota,

the gnome vegetable king, only the realm of the metal prince, who

ranks above the vegetable king, according to the Kabbalist Herrn

Dapsul von Zabelthau ("Konigsbraut," Dichtungen, VII, 296), and that of the Salamander/Archivarius Lindhorst ("Topf") are mentioned in any d e ta i1,

Torbern outlined for Elis Frobom ("Falun") the wonders to be found in the mine, without being very specific, and promised that he might find in the depths the secrets he had expected to attain only above:

. . . so mocht es wohl sein, dass in der tiefsten Teufe bei dem schwachen Schimmer des Grubenlichts des Menschen Auge hellsehender wird, ja dass es endlich, sich mehr und mehr erkraftigend, in dem wunderbaren Gestein die Ab- spieglung dessen zu erkennen vermag, was oben Uber den Wolken verborgen. ("Falun," Dichtungen, IX, I 89)

This quotation resembles very closely the warning of Berthold

("Jesuiterkirche") regarding the danger of mistaking that which one finds in the abyss for the glories of the upper realm:

. . . wenn man nach dem Hochsten strebt . . . es ist eine Klippe--ein schmaler Strich, auf dem man steht—der Abgrund ist offen I—Uber ihm schwebt der kUhne Segler, und ein teuflischer Trug lasst ihn unten—unten d a s erblicken, was er oben Uber den Sternen erschauen wollte'. (Dichtungen, VIII, 50)

The warning, of course, was not included in Torbern's description, which was in i ts e lf the "devilish deception" mentioned by Barthold and which lursd Elis to Falun. Just as Annchen and Herr Dapsul discovered Daucus Carota's glowing promises of a wonderful future to 145

be "Lug unci Trug" (Konigsbraut," Oichtungen, Mil, 298), so Elis

did not find the metal prince's habitat in the mine, as Torbern

had promised, but was instead absorbed into an inimical dream world of his own creation.

The realm from which Lindhorst was banned is the wonderful

garden land of Atlantis, which is apparently much the same as Schubert's

primeval world of nature, where all living creatures and plants speak

the same language. It is also the home of the other elemental spirits (including the kindly old gardener earth spirit who made the

golden pots for Serpentina and her sisters), who served its ruler

Phosphorus ("Topf," Oichtungen, I I I , 78). As Boehme's "Ungrund" and

Schilling's "Grund" preceded the rest of creation, already in exis­ tence at the time of Atlantis' formation was the abyss, infernal and i ni mi ca1 ;

Oer Geist schaute auf das Wasser, da bewegte es sich und brauste in schaumenden Wogen und stiirzte sich donnernd in die AbgrUnde, die ihren schwarzen Rachen aufsperrten, es gierig zu verschlingen. ("Topf," Oichtungen, III, 22)

The fire already present in the depths turned the water to steam:

Aus den AbgrUnden roll ten die DUnste empor, und sich zusammenballend in gewaltige Massen, strebten sie das Angesicht der Mutter [the sun] feindlich zu verhUllen. . . . ("Topf," Oichtungen, I I I , 22)

The possibility that Atlantis, like Elis' dreamworld, represents an aspect of the human unconscious, has already been suggested.

The Realm of S p irits of the Oead

A composite of the ideas expressed in "Vision auf dem Schlacht- felde bei Dresden," "Oas ode Haus," "Oer unheimliche Gast," "Oer 146

Magnétiseur," "Der schwebende T e lle r," "das Majorat," and "Fragment

aus dem Leben dreier Freunde," would indicate that the realm of

spirits in Hoffmann's eyes was a temporary repository, a kind of

dark, open-end limbo located in the abyss, but at the same time 25 surrounding the world of the living, occupied by the spirits of

the dead until, having been sufficiently "permeated by the rays of

the Eternal Light" ("Vision," Oichtungen, XI, 6), a concept similar 26 to those expressed by Boehme and other mystics, they were ready for entry into the bright world of light. Although the "dark, mysterious

kingdom, which is our s p i r i t 's home" ("Haus," Oichtungen, IX, I 6 I) may tempt the unwary to try to come nearer by means of the "pleasant, dreamy trembling" ('Gast," Oichtungen, VI, 109) which indicates our

kinship with the inhabitants of the dark spirit world, it is extremely dangerous to succumb to this temptation, for the living human's spirit may be irreparably shocked "vom entsetzlichen Graus der Geisterwelt"

("Majorat," Oichtungen, II, 70):

"Es bleibt," erwiderte Oagobert, "sind nur die Umstande darnach, niemals bei jenen angenehmen traumerischen Schaudern, die der erste Anfall herbeifuhrt. Ihnen folgt

"Gast," Oichtungen, VI, 103: "Nicht wegzuleugnen ist die geheimnisvolle Geisterwelt, die uns umgibt, und die oft in seltsamen Klangen, ja in wunderbaren Visionen sich uns offenbart. Die Schauer der Furcht, des Entsetzens mogen nur herrUhren von dem Orange des irdischen Organismus. Es ist das Weh des eingekerkerten Geistes, das sich darin ausspricht." 26 U nderhill, p. 420 f f , , discussion of Mechthild of Magdeburg, Ruysbroeck, Boehme, Richard of St. Victor, and St, Catherine of Siena, 147

bald Todesangst, haarstraubendes Entsetzen, und so scheint jenes angenehme GefUhl nur die Verlockung zu sein, mit der uns die unheimliche Geisterwelt bestrickt. . . ("Gast," Oichtungen, VI, 109)

Just as it is possible, however, for an exceptional mortal to gain

some power over demonic or elemental s p ir its (Klingsohr in "Kampf" and O'Malley in "Elementargeist"), an occasional mortal may gain some power over the spirits of the dead (O'Malley in "Elementar­ g eist") or at least enough insight into their purpose to ban them

(Uncle V. in "Majorat" and flsling in "Fragment").

Hoffmann's mysterious nature goddess is connected with the realm of spirits and the abyss. In "Gast" it is suggested that the spirit realm was made frightening to man as Nature's punishment for his fleeing from the original harmonious status existing between

Nature and man, which is so often mentioned by Schubert as well as

Hoffmann:

"Vielleicht," fuhr Oagobert fort, ". . . liegt darin die Strafe der Mutter, deren Pflege, deren Zucht wir.entartete Kinder entflohen." ("Gast," Oichtungen, VI, 104)

In a similar, but more optimistic passage, also dealing with the loss of the golden age of harmony with Nature, her voice seems to rise from the abyss, indicating an eventual return to the original state:

Ein dumpfes Brausen ging durch die Gipfel der Baume und aus dem tiefen SteingeklUft antworteten heulende Stimmen

Cf. "Topf," Oichtungen, III, 71: ". . . in dem neuen Leben, das ihm wie im hellen Sonnenglanze aufgegangen, begriff er alle Wunder einer hoheren Welt, die ihn sonst mit Staunen, ja mit Grausen erfUllt hatten." 148

des herzzerschneîdenden Jammers. Konig Ophîochs Brust wurde an diesem schauer1ichen Ort bewegt auf wunderbare Weise. Es war ihm aber, aïs leuchte in jenen entsetz- 1ichen Lauten des tie fs te n Wehs ein Hoffnungsschimmer der Versohnung auf und nicht mehr den hohnenden Zorn, nein I nur die rührende Klage der Mutter um das verlorne en tartete Kind vernehme er und diese Klage bringe ihm den T rost, dass die Mutter nicht ewig zürnen werde. ("Brambi1 l a Oichtungen, III, 326)

Like the inhabitants of the other subterranean regions discussed above, the spirits of the dead have a certain amount of freedom to 28 29 30 mingle with humans, in dreams or d ire c tly , to warn, help, punish,-' 31 or harass them. The spirits may return to finish a task inter­ rupted by death (the aunt in "Fragment") or to suffer for sins com­ mitted during their lives (Daniel in "Majorat").

The appearance of the s p irits of the dead is not always definitely circumscribed, and considerable variety exists. Thus the s p irits which appeared to Medardus in dreams resembled closely the living people they had been, incorporating also their personality characteristics, so that his mother wept for him and warned him to return to the path of virtue (E lix ie re , PW I I , 258), and Euphemie, whose outward beauty masked a skeleton filled with snakes, fled before Hermogen, who showed signs of martyrdom (PW I I , 280). The old Aunt in "Fragment" appeared to her nephew as a "tall white

"Majorat," Oichtungen, II, 70; Elixiere, PW II, 258.

Elixiere, PW II, the old painter.

Elixiere, PW II, 280.

"Gast," Oichtungen, VI, 110, 111, 150, 151; "T eller," Dichtungen, VI, the white lady. 149 figure" who walked, coughed, opened her cabinet, rattled her spoons as if taking medicine, groaned, sighed, and cleared her throat

(Oichtungen, VIII, 118). Although she did not appear to her maid, she touched and spoke to her (VIII, 158), Only the sad voice of

Elis Frobom's mother warned him in a dream ("Falun," Oichtungen,

IX, 192). The restless spirit in "Majorat" was invisible, but he made his presence known through audible means. Old Daniel walked, scratched the wall, saddled a horse, threw the door open and closed, groaned, sighed, and screamed (Oichtungen, II, 69, 70, 75). In

"Gast" Oagobert told of a mysterious haunted room in which liquid seemed to drop audibly into a metal container (Oichtungen, VI,

110 f .) The phantom in "Teller" appeared only to Adelgunde in the form of a misty white lady, and the others believed in its existence only after they had seen a plate held by the phantom move through the air (Oichtungen, VI, 165). The spirits in "Gast" and "Elementargeist" appeared as formless shapes:

"Es scheint," sprach Viktor weiter, "es scheint heilloser Unsinn, wenn ich von einer gestaltlosen Gestalt sprechen w ollte, und doch kann ich kein anderes Wort finden, um das grassliche Etwas zu bezeichnen, das ich gewahrte." ("Elementargeist," Oichtungen, VI, 233)

"Es fiel," nahm Moritz das Wort, ". . . ein entsetzlicher Schlag, ein eiskalter Todeshauch wehte mich an, und es war, als rausche eine bleiche Gestalt in zitternden, kaum kennt- 1ichen Umrissen durch das Zimmer." ("Gast," Oichtungen, IX, 150)

A stream of cold air is often the harbinger of the presence of a 150 s p i r i t , from the realm of the dead and from the other sp iritu a l regions as wel1.11 32

Perhaps the most interesting and inimical of Hoffmann's spectres is one that does not appear at all, except in the person of another. The macabre tale "Hyanen," which was written as a part of the SerapionsbrUder conversations, probably early in 1821, deals with the ability of a strong, willful personality to return after death and displace a weaker one, an idea later developed more fully by Edgar Allan Poe in his haunting tale "Ligeia"

(w ritten I 838). The gradual change of Count Hippolyt's young wife

Aurelie from a "wonderfully sweet, charming creature" (Oichtungen,

VI, 171 ) into the w itch-like reincarnation of her dead mother is subtly but unmistakably developed. The old Baroness is depicted as being doubly sinister, related not only after her death to the dark world of spirits, but already during her lifetime also to the demonic realm of evil, which is indicated by her falseness when she deceived

Hippolyt into granting her asylum, her witch-like physical appear­ ance and morbid seizures of catalepsy, and her unsavory character as a cruel and vulgar mother to the gentle Aurelie and as the former mistress of a murderer. Her lover, who apparently discovered her repugnant secret, called her "verruchten Satan" and "hollische

Hexe" (Oichtungen, VI, I 78 ), and in her threat to harm Aurelie after

"Denner ," Oichtungen, IX, 128; "Falun," Oichtungen,IX, 205» "Elementargeist," Oichtungen, VI, 232; "Kampf," Oichtungen, X, 101; "Majorat," Oichtungen, II, ^9. 151 her death, the Baroness indicated some kind of relationship with

Satan ("H yanenOichtungen, VI, I8l), Aurelie's fear that her mother in the form of "an invisible inimical force" (VI, 1/4) that

"would r is e up from her grave and tear her [Aurelie] out of the arms of her beloved into the abyss" (VI, 175) is fulfilled com­ pletely, first on the spiritual, then on the physical level.

Closely related to the realm of the spirits of the dead, but more permanent and unyielding, is the abyss of dead tim e, which is mentioned only once, and a more crushing expression of finality can scarcely be imagined:

Die Turmfahnen knarrten, es war, als rlihre die Zeit horbar ihr ewiges furchtbares Raderwerk und gleich werde das a lte Jahr wie ein schweres Gewicht dumpf hinabrollen in den dunkein Abgrund. ("SiIvester-Nacht," Oichtungen, VI, 9)

The Psychological Abyss

The great emphasis placed by Schubert on the hidden depths of the human character is evident in the titles of his two works which were read and admired by Hoffmann: Ansichten von der Nacht- se ite der Naturwissenschaft and Die Symbolik des Traumes. Many of the conditions treated by Schubert in these philosophical- psychological-theological works--the various aspects of the uncon­ scious—are also treated by Hoffmann in his works. The phenomena of the human depths share certain characteristics with the various regions of the abyss and are particularly open to influence from them, for the primitive unconscious operates primarily when it is free from the tempering influence of the conscious and its more refined component p arts. 152

Of the several aspects of the unconscious treated by

Hoffmann, the one that occurs most frequently is insanity, which, along with its connection with the abyss, has already been treated in detail in a previous section. Inappropriate "love," which

Hoffmann so frequently equated with insanity, is also considered to be a psychological abyss, as Julia explains to Hedwiga;

Und diese Leidenschaft soil die hochste Stufe der Seligkeit gewahren?—Mich schwindelt's vor dieser Hohe, denn dem Blick herab gahnt der bodenlose Abgrund mit alien Schrecknissen des rettungslosen Verderbens entgegen, (Murr, Oichtungen, M, 376)

A similar view was taken by the Greek Princess, after she narrowly escaped marrying the flighty Theodor, mistaking him for her lost

Prince:

. . . an den Rand des Abgrunds hatte mich der boshafte Magus verlockt, schwindelnd wollte ich hinabstUrzen, da brach der Zauber durch dich, 0 Aponomeria, . . . ("Geheimnisse," Oichtungen, XI, 299)

The passion for gambling, which has also been treated above in its role as an aspect of insanity, is repeatedly connected with the idea of the abyss:

Mit frohem Mute, mit jugendlicher Unbefangenheit stehen Sie am Rande des Abgrundes, ein einziger Stoss, und Sie stUrzen rettungslos hinab,—Mit einem Wort—Sie sind im B egriff, ein leidenschaftlicher Spieler zu werden und sich zu verderben, ("SpielerglUck," Oichtungen, XI, 70)

Thus Menars' vow to stop gambling has a multiple significance:

Dem Chevalier war es, als sei er plotzlich aus einem fUrchterlichen Traum erwacht, er erblickte sich nun am Rande des Hbllenabgrundes und streckte vergebens die Arme aus nach der glanzenden Lichtgestalt, die ihm erschienen, nicht ihn zu re ttn —nein I—ihn zu mahnen an seine Verdammnis. . . . (XI, 88) 153

'•Ja',"—r ie f der Chevalier ganz ausser sich mit wildem Blick . . , "verflucht will ich sein, hinabgeschleudert in die tiefste Nolle, wenn jemals wieder diese Hand eine Karte berUhrt I—Und wenn Ihr mich dann von Euch s to s s t, Angela I so seid Ihr es, die rettungsloses Verderben Uber mich bringt--o, Ihr wisst nicht--Ihr versteht mich nicht-- wahnsinnig mUsst Ihr mich nennen--aber Ihr werdet es fUhlen, allés wissen, wenn ich vor Euch liege mit zerschmettertem Gehirn—AngelaTod oder Leben gilt es I" (XI, 88 f.)

Five areas of the netherworld are mentioned or intimated in these

brief paragraphs—the dream, the abyss of passionate gambling. Hell,

insanity, and death. As distinct from each other as they appear,

they nonetheless melt into each other, for Menars himself calls

his lif e of gambling a bad dream and equates his return to gambling with damnation. He admits that the suicide he threatens, in itself

tra d itio n ally a damnable a c t, is the solution of a madman, and the

relationship of insanity with gambling and Hell is made repeatedly

throughout the story. Menars seems trapped in an endless, abysmal cycle, contrasting sharply with "the shining figure of light"—

"Angela"--"1i fe."

The submersion of the past into the dark realm of the unconscious, leaving only tantalizing glimpses in the memory of the

frustrated fo rg e tte r, is a main theme in the Novel le "Doge und

Dogaressa." Antonio lost his memory as a result of a serious illness:

Aber wer war mein Vater? wie hiess er? welchem grausigen Schicksal musste er erliegen in jener Schreckensnacht?-- Wer war es, der mich auf nahm? und—was geschah in meinem Leben, das noch je tz t wie ein machtiger Zauber aus fremder unbekannter Welt mein ganzes Selbst unwiderstehlich beherrscht. . . . (Oichtungen, X, 152)

When Antonio saw Annunziata again, the "strange, unknown world" of his 154

33 unconscious yielded his forgotten past, and he designated his

former state of confusion the act of the evil spirit:

Ach, verzeih' mir nur, Mutter, dass ich blodsinniger ohn- machtiger Knabe nur einen Augenblick daran zweifeln konnte, was du mir entdecktest, Ja, du bist d i e Margareta, die mich nahrte, die mich hegte und pflegte, ich wusste es ja schon immer, aber der bbse Geist verw irrte mir die Gedanken. (X, 161)

A less drastic instance of forgetting occurs in Elixiere, where

Medardus struggled to remember the appearance of the mysterious

penitent who confessed to him:

Aber das Bild war wie von fremder unbekannter Macht ver- wischt, so dass ich nur mit Mühe die bleichen, entstellten ZUge wiedererkennen konnte; je mehr ich trachtete, die Erscheinung im Geiste festzuhalten, desto mehr zerrann sie im Nebel. (PW II, $6 f.)

Medardus' problem was compounded by the fact that he did not get a

good look at the woman and also by the emotional turmoil her ad­ mission of love aroused in him.

In the Novel le "Das Majorat" a prominent role is played by the negative emotions of hatred, greed, and envy, which arise from

the depths of the personalities of the Barons of R --sitten and can be quelled only by destroying the personalities involved. The father and brothers saw in each other little more than inimical 34 spirits, and Hubert recognized his own guilt only after Wolfgang's

Cf, "Haus," Oichtungen IX, 160,

"Majorat," Oichtungen, II, 129: ". , , wie ein boser Geist [ t r i t t Hubert] mir uberall in den Weg und [sto rt] meinen Frieden"; and p, 130: "Welcher Damon hat ihm das Geheimnis mit den einhundert und fUnfzigtausend Talern verraten. , . ," 155 death: "Alle Furien der Verzweiflung im Antlitz stUrzte Hubert herbei . . . "Bruder—o mein armer Bruder—nein, das hab' ich nicht erfleht von den Teufeln, die Uber mir waren Î’ (II, 135).

Even the innocent Julie assumed, in old Roderich's eyes, a demonic aspect :

Wolfgangs Verbindung mit Julien erschien . . . dem Alten ein verbrecherisches Attentat, wider BeschlUsse der Macht gerichtet, die ihm beigestanden im irdischen Beginnen, und jeder Anschlag, Julien, die wie ein damonisches Prinzip sich ihm entgegengeworfen, zu verderben, gerechtfertigt, ("Majorat," Oichtungen II, 1 $6 f.)

Eventually she fell victim to the curse, as did Seraphine many years later. A parallel to the collapse of the family, burying with it every hope for the future, is the collapse of the astrological tower, burying in its deep-lying rubble the treasure which was supposed to be hidden in it:

V. erfuhr nun, dass der Freiherr zu Franz sehr oft von den vielen Schatzen sprach, die da unten in dem Schutt begraben lagen, und dass er oft, wie vom bosen Geist getrieben, zur Nachtzeit noch die Pforte, zu der den SchlUssel ihm Daniel hatte geben mUssen, offnete und mit Sehnsucht hinabschaute in die Tiefe nach den vermeintlichen ReichtUmern. (II, 1 36 f .)

Whether the treasure was really there remains very questionable, considering Hoffmann's negative attitude toward the riches sought for in the depths. Certainly the Barons of R--sitten received as little and paid as high a price as Elis Frobom for pursuing the illusory hoard in the depths and fostering the dark facets of their characters while neglecting the bountiful riches available to them in the form of human worth and love. 156

In "Meister Wacht" a fam ily's greed plays a small role

in the subplot involving Jonathan and the Countess. After he had helped her find her husband's w ill, the Countess was happy to be

"in possession of all the rights of which an inimical fa te had in­ tended to rob her." This personified "inimical fate" was, of course, her greedy in-laws ("Wacht," Oichtungen, X, 321).

An inimical demon as the source of human greed is treated farcically in Kater Murr, when Fürst Irenaus bemoans his situation to Ratin Benzon:

Selbst in der einsamsten, tiefsten ZurUckgezogenheit folgt die Gefahr dem fürstlichen Haupt.—Es ist das Los der Fursten, dass alle Mil de, alle GUte des Herzens sie nicht schUtzt vor dem feindlichen Damon, der den Neid, die Herrschsucht ent- flammt in der Brust verraterischer Vasal 1 en I (Dichtungen, V, 473)

His complaint, when applied to himself, is of course ridiculous, for

Irenaus had nothing that anyone else would want. His court and t i t l e were without substance, as was the danger which he imagined surrounded him.

As illusory as the dangers surrounding Irenaus were those imagined by Hofrat Reutlinger ("Das steinerne Herz"), who refused to trust anyone, for fear of being hurt, yet put his trust in what he believed were "signs" sent by higher powers to warn him. His nephew, who bears some resemblance to the young Hoffmann of the Posen-

Plock period, accused him of heartlessness:

Aber du verwirfst mich, so wie du ailes verwirfst, was sich dir naht mit Liebe und Ergebung, wahrend der Teufel selbst dich mit trUgerischen Traumen umgaukelt. ("Herz," Oichtungen, X, 48) 157

The dream as a s ta te apart from re a lity and over which the dreamer

has no control, but is left to the mercy of emanations from above

or below, as well as the workings of his own subconscious "hidden

poet," the spinner of dreams, is dealt with in detail by Schubert

(Traum, pp. 10, 20 f.), who insists, however, that the discriminating

soul is able to recognize the source of his dreams (Traum, p. 21),

Dreams and related dreamy conditions occur frequently in Hoffmann's

works, but his dreamers are not always able to distinguish the source

of th eir dreams, unless, as in the example above from "Herz," their

eyes are opened through the help of another. Thus Eugeni us, while

under the influence of Fermi no, misunderstood his dream about

Gabriel la:

Es war ihm, als sei sein GefUhl fur die Grafin von solch hoher Art, dass es nichts gemein haben konne mit den ge- wohnlichen Verbaltnissen des Lebens . . . unerachtet ihn der verhangnisvolle Traum eines andern hatte belehren sollen, . . . ("Datura," Oichtungen, IX, 280);

and Candida ("Zaches," Oichtungen, III, 2]6) dismissed her magically

induced affection for Zinnober as "a bad, horrid dream," once she was

wakened to the tru th by Balthasar.

Other instances of dreams used as vehicles by demonic forces

occur in "Falun," where Elis' dream represented a distorted version

of his conversation with Torbern (Oichtungen, IX, 191), and in Elixiere, where the subterranean source of the dreams is made particularly

plain:

. . . dann stiegen feindliche Traumbilder empor, die mir neue Todesmarter b ereiteten . . . .

Der Spass der Hoi le ist emporgestiegen. (PW II, 279, 281 ) 153

Dreams which closely resemble each other occur in "Sandmann"

and "Magnétiseur." Nathanael recalls a fearful childhood dream in­

volving Coppelius, who had caught the boy observing the men's alche-

mistic experiments:

"... aber nun wollen wir doch den Mechanismus der Hande und der Fusse recht observieren." Und damit fasste er mich gewaltig, dass die Gelenke knackten, und schrob mir die Hande ab und die Fusse und setzte sie bald hier, bald dort wieder ein. "'s steht doch uberall nicht recht I 's gut, so wie es war'.--Der Alte hat's verstanden'." ("Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 59)

Coppelius' reference to God as "der Alte" is reminiscent of the

irreverent admiration expressed by Mephisto in the "Prologue in

Heaven" of Faust, and underscores Coppelius' connection with the

demonic. This same dream is cited by Heilborn as evidence of Hoff­

mann's horror of human automatism (p. 108), but he does not mention

the dream related by Bickert in "Magnétiseur," which contains the

identical situation, but is included in a humorous recital of

dreams to amuse the company;

Hat nicht ein anderer anatomischer Satan mich einmal zu seiner Lust wie eine Gliederpuppe auseinandergenommen und nun allerlei teuflische Versuche angestellt? ("Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 17)

The equating of insanity with dreams has been discussed

above, as have dreams as u tiliz e d by the s p irits of the dead to

communicate with the living. The dream or trance as used by one

person to gain power over the mind of another will be treated in

the section on personal elevation.

A series of emotions and conditions other than those already mentioned are described in Hoffmann's works as being of demonic 159

origin or related to the abyss. Among them are avarice:

. . .in seinen dUstern, dunkles Feuer sprühenden Augen lag der voile Ausdruck der verderblichsten Leidenschaft, die ihn umstrickt hielt—Nicht Spielsucht, nein, der gehassigste Geld- geiz war es, den der Satan selbst in seinem Innern entzUndet I ("SpielerglUck," Oichtungen, XI, 76);

awkwardness:

Oa kam ihm aber wieder einmal der Damon des Ungeschicks Uber den Hals. . . . ("Topf," Oichtungen, III, 85)»

confusion:

Eine holde Jungfrau schaut uns mit hellen klaren Isisaugen an, aber wer ihre Ratsel nicht lost, den ergreift sie mit kraftigen Lowentatzen und scbleudert ihn in den Abgrund. ("Herz," Oichtungen, X, 25)j

exci tement:

"Beruhigt Euch doch nur," sprach Bescapi s a n ft, "... bester Signor Giglio, lasst die Gespenster fahren, die Euch qualenS' ("Brambi1 la ," Oichtungen, III, 307)î

g u ilt:

Eine ganze Hoi le voll Qual und Gewissensangst wurde wach in seinem Innern. . . . Und mitten durch diese Hoi le, deren Flammen in des Chevaliers Innerm wUteten, fuhr ein g o ttlich reiner Strahl. . . . ("SpielerglUck," Oichtungen, XI, 86. Cf. "Floh," Oichtungen, III, 626);

fear :

Julia hielt inne, da sagte Hedwige: Singe, spiele auf dem zauberischen Instrumente, vielleicht gelingt es dir, die bosen, feindlichen Geister, die Macht haben wol1 ten Uber mich, hioabzubeschworen in den Orkus. (Murr, Oichtungen, V, 65);3-

Cf. "Irrungen," Oichtungen, XI, 209: "Ha I—sol 1 ich unter* gehen in diesen Geheimnissen? Hat mich eine grausame Sphinx erfasst und will mich hinunterschleudern in den bodenlosen Abgrund?"

Cf. "Scuderi," Oichtungen, II, 233: "Es kam ein wunder- barer Trost in meine Seele, ein Horfnungsstrahl, vor dem die finstern Geister schwanden" and E lixiere, PW I I , 124. 160 ma lic e ;

. . , welch ein Abgrund damonischer Tticke und Arglist stand plotzlich offen vor meinen Augen I ("Geheimnisse," Oichtungen, XI, 255); anger :

Am Louvre steh' ich also und passe, die ganze Nolle in der Brust, auf die Teufel, die meiner spotten. ("Scuderi," Oichtungen, II, 179); filial disobedience:

Mathilde, du stehst an einem Abgrunde, ohne es zu ahnen. Oer a rg listig e VerfUhrer der Menschen selbst streckt seine Krai 1 en nach dir aus und sucht dich zu verderben. ("Feind," Oichtungen, II, 294); religious fanaticism:

Oie ganze Klosterordnung andert sich, die mit frommer Sitte vereinbare Freiheit hort auf, und der finstre Geist fanatischer Moncherei herrscht bald mit u n erb ittlich er Strenge in diesen Mauern. (Murr, Oichtungen, V, 570); suspician:

Oer finstere arglistige Damon pflegt in die hellsten Sonnen- blicke des Lebens hineinzugreifen mit seinen schwarzen Krallen; .... So geschah es, dass in Peregrinus bbse Zweifel aufstiegen. . . . ("Floh," Oichtungen, III, 624); worry:

Meine Arbeit geht mir nicht von Statten und fremde verworrene Bilder, die sich eindrangen wie feindliche Geister in die Werkstatt meiner Gedanken, werde ich nicht los, unerachtet ich die ewige Macht des Himmels anflehe, mich zu befreien von dieser Argernis des Bosen. ("Feind," Oichtungen, II, 312); and artistic ecstasy:

Dein Blut f lie s s t zu heiss durch die Adern, deine Phan- tasie zerbricht im Mutwillen oft magische Kreise und

37 This condition is also singled out by Schubert as a frequent symptom of insanity; c f. Traum, p. I63 . 161

w irft dich unbereitet und ohne Waffe und Wehr in ein Reich, dessen feindliche Geister dich einmal vernichten konnen. ("Berganza," PW I, 152).

Werner calls attention to the fact that in Hoffmann's works, 39 artistic ecstasy is only a short step from insanity, while

Underhill reminds that the mystics, to whom artists are often closely

related, realized that ecstasy may stem from the devil as well as

from God, and that in any case, ecstasy may disturb temporarily the ko e c s ta tic 's mental equilibrium .

Reality and the Natural Abyss

The inimical aspects of reality, especially with regard to

the artist in such works as "Topf," "Formica," "Jesuiterkirche," and

the works dealing with Kreisler are not only obvious, but have already Zfl 42 been so thoroughly treated by Werner, Mayer, von Schaukal, Dahmen,

and others that further comment with respect to Hoffmann's artists is

superfluous.

Cf. "K reisleriana," Oichtungen, I , 4: "Oer Gesang w irkte beinahe verderblich auf ihn weil seine Fantasie dann liberreizt wurde und sein Geist in ein Reich entwich, wohin ihm niemand ohne Gefahr folgen konnte. . . Murr, Oichtungen, V, 28: "0, sagte Meister Abraham, ich weiss es ja, das Wildeste, Schauer1ichste ist dir eben rech t, und doch habe ich das vergessen, was dich ganz und gar den un- heimlichen Machten der Geisterwelt preisgegeben hatte. Ich hatte die Wetterharfe . . . anspannen lassen. . . ." on Werner, pp. 61 f .: "Kunstlerische Exaltation und Wahnsinn sind nicht immer klar zu trennen."

Underhill, pp. 361, 376 ff. von Schaukal, pp. 159 ff. 42 Oahmen, "Hoffmann und Schubert," Literaturw issenschaf11iches Jahrbuch der Gorresgesel1schaft (Freiburg/Br., 1926), I, 6Ô. 162

Although when members of the non-artistic world are dealt with by Hoffmann, emphasis is usually placed on those aspects of their characters which are inimical to the artist, or which illustrate the pleasures of the settled, prosaic life, this is not always the case. Of those non-artists to whom life in the real world, because of d iffic u ltie s which seemed insurmountable, assumed the form of an abyss. Count Franz ("Oie Rauber"), whose unhappiness was caused by his hopeless love for his cousin funalia, is a good example: "Der

Zufall hat Sie in den Abgrund blicken lassen, in dem ich wohl rettungslos untergehen werde" ("Rauber," Oichtungen, IX, 317), A more positive attitude is expressed by Fermi no Valies ("Datura"), who had learned to master the challenge of life:

Ich lebte auch einmal einsam, viel einsamer als Sie, und glaubte in dieser Einsamkeit, die andere trostlos genannt hatten, dass das Schicksal keinen Anspruch mehr an mich habe. Da rauschten die Wogen des Lebens hoch auf, und mich e rg riff ihr S trudel, der mich hinabzureissen drohte in den Abgrund, Doch bald hob ich, ein kUhner Schwimmer, mich hoch empor und segle nun frohlich und freudig daher auf silberheller Flut und fUrchte nicht mehr die hoffnungslose Tiefe, die das Spiel der Well en verbirgt. Nur auf der Hohe versteht man das Leben, des­ sen erster Anspruch ist, dass man seine Lust geniesse. . . ," ("Datura Oichtungen, IX, 258)

For Eugenius ("Datura"), the alternatives seemed equally undesirable:

"Soil ich," unterbrach Eugenius die Professorin erbittert, , begraben sein in diesen oden Mauern?—soil ich freudenlos das kraftigste Leben des Jiinglings hinopfern?— Sind die harmlosen VergnUgungen, die die Welt d arb ietet, Werke des Teufels?" ("Datura," Oichtungen, IX, 270)

The "harmless pleasures of the world" as offered by the scheming

Fermi no were, indeed, of a devilish nature for a person such as

Eugenius, who was incapable of coping with them, and the only 163 alternative, being "buried in these desolate walls)' is only a step 43 from being buried in the grave.

In addition to the true representatives of the inimical force, their assistants and those used as lures, some ordinary people who are not officially connected with the demonic realm nevertheless affect their victims in such a negative way that they are considered by the latter as an inimical force in themselves.

These independently inimical people are motivated by a variety of reasons, and their inimical activities are directed primarily to only one individual or to a small group, usually those who disagree with, or threaten in some way, the position or welfare of the inimical agent.

Such a state of affairs exists in "Die Automate," where the mysterious Professor X relentlessly destroyed the hopes of Ferdinand of learning more about his Idealbild, a girl who was apparently in the Professor's power:

. . , ach, ich fUhle es ja, dass eine fremde Macht in mein Inneres gedrungen. . . , War denn nicht die gehassige Ironie, womit uns der Professor in seinem Hause empfing, nur der Ausdruck des feindlichen Prinzips, und er hat uns mit seinen Automaten nicht nur abfertigen wollen, um a lle nahere Beziehung mit mir im extensiven Leben von der Hand zu weisen? ("Automate," Oichtungen, I, 193)

Ferdinand's friend Ludwig suspected that the Professor was destroying a relationship—the psychic rapport between Ferdinand and the girl — because he could not control it,

Cf, "Floh," Oichtungen, III, 457: "Wenn dann die Kinder in der hellsten, lebendigsten Freude, schlich er [Peregrinus] leise davon und lie f oft die halbe Nacht Uber durch die Strassen, weil . . , sein eignes Haus ihm vorkam wie ein dUstres Grabmal, in dam er selbst mit allen seinen Freuden begraben." 164

A similar situation occurs in Kater Murr, where, years before,

Meister Abraham's young gypsy wife Chiara had mysteriously d is­ appeared. Chiara's voice emanating from Abraham's magic crystal brought about a dream:

Aber in dem Dunkel ging strahlend wie ein schoner Stern der Traum vergangenen Glucks auf, und Chiara lag wieder an des Meisters Brust, und beide waren wieder jung und selig, und kein finsterer Geist vermochte den Himmel ihrer Liebe zu trUben, (Murr, Oichtungen, V, 467)

The "dark spirit" who had separated the lovers was actually FUrst

Irenaus, who had had Chiara kidnapped at the behest of the scheming

Ratin Benzon, because he feared Chiara's telepathic powers.

Another case of separated lovers forms the main plot of "Die

Marquise de la Pivardiere." Here the Marquise learned the truth only after many years had passed:

Die Marquise wurde von einem Gedanken e rg riffe n , dessen Ahnung sonst nicht in ihrer Seele gelegen. Es ging ihr auf, dass der Vater, dessen ganzes Sein und Wesen ihr stets die tiefste Ehrfurcht eingeflosst, dessen Lebens- weisheit ihr die einzige Norm ihres Denkens, ihres Handelns gegeben, das eben dieser Vater das bbse Prinzip gewesen s e i, das sie um ihr schbnstes Gluck betrogen. Ihr ganzes missverstandnes Leben schien ihr eine finstre, freudenleere Gruft, in die sie rettungslos begraben. . . . ("Pivardiere," Oichtungen, XI, 324)

In "Datura," Eugenius saw in his elderly wife the inimical force that stood between him and Gabriel la:

Nur die Stunden, die Augenblicke, wenn er Gabriel la sah, gal ten ihm flir das Leben, sein Haus schien ihm ein finsteres odes Gefangnis, die Professorin der bbse Geist kindischer Betbrung, der ihn hineingebannt. (Oichtungen, IX, 282)

In "Rauber," Franz thought of his brother Karl as "jener hbllische

Teufel" (Dichtungen, IX, 316), while Franz' passionate outbursts 165

made him seem to the uninitiated Willibald and Hartmann "similar

to that satanic villain" in Schiller's play Die Rauber.

The demonization of ordinary people is presented in a

humorous manner in "Floh," where Pepusch explained that he was

peering in a strange window because he saw Oortje inside:

Ich habe sie gefunden, aber in demselben Augenblick erfassten mich damonische Wachter und BUrgerwachen und schleppten mich ins Gefangnis. (Oichtungen, III, 533);

and in "Prinzessin Blandina," where two acto rs, who have supposedly

fallen out of character, see in the director "die unheimliche

Hollenmacht" and in the producer "den garst'gen Damon" (Oichtungen,

VII, 326).

The abyss as a part of the actual landscape occurs with considerable frequency, usually incorporating a symbolic significance

as well. The instances in "Falun," "Brambi11a," "Majorat," and

Elixiere have already been mentioned, where the mouth of the mine is

given a demonic character, the "deep stony chasm" ("Brambi1 la,"

Di chtungen, III , 326) near Hermod's tower suggested to King Ophioch

the exile of the nature goddess, the deep-lying ruins of the astro­

logical tower paralleled the collapse of the family of R—sitten, and the gorge beneath the "Teufelssitz" into which Viktorin fell

to emerge insane.

O’Malley called forth his spirits at midnight in the cellar of a ruined building because it seemed appropriate:

Gaste empfangt man gern im Putzzimmer zur gelegensten Stunde. ("Elementargeist," Oichtungen, VI, 231) 166

After the death of Ignaz Denner, Andres was left in pos­ session of his magic ch est, the powers of which tempted him to use them:

Aber wenn er so zwi schen vVachen und Traumen hinbrütete, da horte er es im Zimmer knistern und rauschen, und ein roter Schein fuhr hindurch und verschwand wieder. Sowie er anfing zu horchen und zu schauen, da murmelte es dumpf: "Nun b ist du Meister--du hast den Schatz . . . gebeut Uber die Kraft, sie ist deinj' ("Denner," Oichtungen, IX, I 3 I)

Andres' solution, throwing the chest unopened into "a deep mountain gorge" (IX, 132), suggests a return of the demonic spirits connected with the chest into their own realm: "Nun genoss Andres eines ruhigen heitern Alters, das keine feindliche Macht zu zerstoren vermochte" (IX, 132).

The city assumes the aspects of the chasm in contrast to the lofty tower from which the warder observes it with the help of the friendly l i t t l e d e v il's magic glass:

Die Stadt frUhstUckte. Aus ihrem tiefen Grunde stieg allerlei hassiicher, schmutzig grauer Dampf zu mir herauf, ("Der Dei von Elba in Paris," Oichtungen, XI, 23)

The iniquitous nature of the city is indicated not only by its physical description, which borders on the infernal--deep, ugly, dirty, steamy—but by the attitude of the diminutive devil toward some of the inhabitants of the city, especially the supporters of

Napoleon:

"Nein I nein I neini" r ie f ich sch n ell, indem ich den Dollond absetzte, "diese mag ich nicht schauen, nicht aussprechen den verfluchten Hollennamen, der sie bezeichnet, diese Teufel--" Hier zwickte mich der Kleine am Arm, indem er schnarrte; "E i, lieb ster TUrmer, ich hoffe Sie brauchen dies Wort nur als rhetorische Figur I—Jene schwarzen Geister dort erkenne ich durchaus nicht fur solche an, die mit gut- mUtigen, nur etwas schalkhaften Leuten meines Standes. . . ." ("Dei," Oichtungen, XI, 30) 167

In "Doge und Dogaressa," it is the sea which is given the attributes of the inimical, personified chasm, which jealously swallows up the lovers Antonio and Annunziata;

Aus dem fernen Meer, aus den duftigen Wolken, die San Marco einhiillten, schien die feindl iche Macht Tod und Verderben zu drohen, ("Doge," Oichtungen, X, 184)

Da streckte das Meer, die eifersLichtige Witwe des ent- haupteten F a lie r i, die schaumenden Wellen wie Riesenarme empor, erfasste die Liebenden und riss sie samt der Alten hinab in den bodenlosen Abgrund I (X, 184)

The terrors of the watery depths are treated humorously in the tale

"Die Brautwahl," when Tusmann, depressed over his unrequited love for Albertine, whose refusal to marry him he blamed on his green face, threatened to drown himself in the fishpond, and was saved at the last moment by Leonhard, who also removed the green paint from

Tusmann's face:

Ja!r-nun wird die Demoiselle Albertine Vosswinkel, um derentwillen ich beinahe hinabgesprungen in den Abgrund zu den Froschen, gewiss keinen Anstand nehmen, mich zu ihrem Gemahl zu erkiesen I (Oichtungen, VII, 217)

Similarities Among the Inhabitants of the Abyss

Considering the vague separation of the various regions of the abyss and the duplicity practiced by its inhabitants, it is not surprising that a certain amount of confusion occurs, even when no deception is intended. Thus the sinister Count S—i is mistaken for a ghost ("Gast," Oichtungen, VI, 118), as is the insane Nettelmann

("Fragment," Oichtungen, IIX, 122). The Baron was convinced that

Alban was a reincarnation of the Danish Major he had known in his youth ("Magnétiseur," Oichtungen, IX, 35) 55). Andres recognized 168 immediately that Trabacchio looked like Denner ("Denner," Oichtungen,

IX, 104), but as the latter two were father and son, their resem­ blance is understandable. After a time, Nathanael's father began to resemble his mentor Coppelius:

Ein grasslicher krampfhafter Schmerz schien seine sanften ehrlichen ZUge zum hassiichen widerwartigen Teufelsbilde verzogen zu haben. Er sah dem Coppelius ahnlich. ("Sandmann," Oichtungen, VI, $8)

This transformation foreshadows the end of the story, where the insane

Nathanael also assumes one aspect of the inimical Coppola's character— his Italian accent: "Hal Skone Oke--Skone Qke" (VI, 97)»

The true nature of the coarse stranger Irmshofer/Solfaterra cannot be determined because of the brevity of the fragment "Oer

Feind." In the judgment of the innkeeper, he is definitely demonic:

Welcher bose Geist fUhrt Euch in mein Haus, Ihr grober Geselle; . . . wenn Euch mein Haus, mein Wein nicht an- steht, schert Euch zum Teufel und sucht Euch eine Soldaten- Herberge, wo Ihr fluchen und toben konnt nach Gefallen. ("Feind," Oichtungen, II, 2/4)

"Freunde," fuhr er [the innkeeper] dann feierlich fort, "Dieser Irmshofer ist eine Art von Satan. Wisst ihr nicht, dass er auch Solfaterra heisst?" ( II , 310)

Yet, according to the descriptions of Solfaterra in the story, he is almost a comic fig u re.

Perhaps the most innocuous representative of the inimical force occurs in "Klein Zaches" in the form of an ordinary house cat.

It is not related to a witch, as is the "feindliche Kreatur" in

"Topf" (Oichtungen, III, 88), but attains its frightening qualities only because it is encountered by a woman afflicted with felinophobia:

Am Teetisch sass die nervenschwache Dame und genoss mehreren Zwieback, den sie in Rum tunkte, versichernd. 169

an dergleichen erlabe sich das von feindlicher Macht bedrohte GemUt, und dem jahen Schreck folge sehn- sUchtig Hoffeni ("Zaches," Oichtungen, III, I 65 )

In summary it may be said that that which constitutes the realm of the inimical force is variable. It may exist within the individual, in the person of another being, in the immediate surroundings, in the indefinite subterranean area, or in a com­ bination of these. It is extremely subjective, depending for its form to a great extent upon the observer, his personality, and his store of experiences. The same is true of the habitues of this realm.

That which appears intensely inimical to one person, may seem com­ pletely harmless to another, or may even escape his notice. The example of the felinophobiac is an extreme one, of course, but not so very far removed from the situ atio n of the Marquise de la

Pivardiere, who had been brought up to believe that love was evil, and who thus saw in the young man with whom she involuntarily fell in love an evil spirit:

Nein, es war kein Mensch, es war ein G eist, aus grauen- voller Tiefe heraufgebannt, mich, mein Leben zu zerstoreni ("Die Marquise de la Pivardiere," Oichtungen, XI, 320)

From here it is only a step to the situations in "Sandmann" and

"Datura," where the efforts of the demonic villains had absolutely no effect, except indirectly, on anyone but Nathanael and Eugenius respectively, who happened to be, by virtue of the collection of characteristics which made up their personalities, particularly susceptible to ju st those lures which Coppelius/Coppola and Fermino offered. There is much merit in the statements of Clara ("Sandmann") 170

to explain Hoffmann's use of the concept of the inimical realm and

its representatives:

Gibt es eine dunkle Macht, die so recht feindlich und verraterisch einen Faden in unser Inneres leg t, woran sie uns dann festpackt und fortzieht auf einem gefahrvollen verderblichen Wege, den wir sonst nicht betreten haben wUrden--gibt es eine solche Macht, so muss sie in uns sich wie wir selbst gestalten, ja unser Selbst werdenj denn nur s o glauben wir an sie und raumen ihr den Platz ein, des- sen sie bedarf, urn jenes geheime Werk zu vollbringen. Haben wir festen , durch das h eitre Leben gestarkten Sinn genug, urn fremdes, feindliches Einwirken als solches stets zu erkennen und den Weg, in den uns Neigung und Seruf geschoben, ruhigen Schrittes zu verfolgen, so geht wohl jene unheimliche Macht unter. , . . (Dichtungen, VI, 65 )

The extreme subjectivity involved in dealing with the inimical force

and the absolute necessity for recognizing negative elements when

they appear are recognized by Clara, and are important, of course.

However, Clara overlooked a fact well realized by Hoffmann, that

not all prospective victims of inimical forces could see the truth

so plainly as she from the elevated position of her simple, well-

adjusted mind and healthy but somewhat naive attitude toward life;

and in the absence of truth, error invariably provides a foothold

for the inimical force. CHAPTER V

THE THEME OF PRIDE AND PERSONAL ELEVATION

"Gottwerden, Menschseyn, Sichbilden sind Ausdrlicke, die einerley bedeuten." (F, Schleqel , Jugend- schriften, ed. J. Minor [Vienna, 1882J, I I , 247)

The essence of romantic irony—the deliberate destruction by an author of the illusion of reality in his work--is one of the best- known stylistic characteristics of the German Romanticists.^ Al­ though Hoffmann only seldom made use of romantic irony as a literary device (instances in "Brambilla" and "Blandina" and the unique form 2 of Kater Murr constitute rare exceptions), he did mold the principle involved, that of the author's consciously pointing out his author­ ship, his superiority over the work he has created by rising above it as a god over his world, into a theme which appears in a number of

^ Strohschneider-Kohrs in her detailed work defines romantic irony as follows; "Zwiespalt, unaufhorlich wiederholte Annihilation, Prozess und bewusst angezeigtes Transzendieren: das sind die 6e- stimmungen der romantischan Ironie und der durch sie gekennzeichneten Moglichkeit von Kunst," Ingrid Strohschneider-Kohrs, Die romantische Ironie in Theorie und Gestaltung, Vol. VI of Hermaea, ed. Helmut deBoor and Hermann Kunisch (Tubingen, I960), p. 229. 2 The appearance of Hoffmann himself in the fairy tale "Der goldne Topf," which Strohschneider-Kohrs considers to be an example of romantic irony (p. 3^9)—he also appears in "Geheimnisse"—appears rather to be an example of Hoffmann's Serapiontic principle, relating a story so convincingly that the reader is led to believe it really happened,

171 172

his works. In Hoffmann's hands, this modified principle is that of

personal elevation, not over characters in a work one has created,

but over the people in real life, treating them as inferior beings who may be manipulated and controlled by the efforts of the one who has set himself above them. By this means the manipulator attempts

to preempt the powers of supernatural forces and place himself on a

level with them,

Strich explains Schleiertnacher's version of this idea in his discussion regarding Idealism,

, . , welcher den Menschen zum Begriff der Wachselwirkung mit der Welt erhob und ihn sich nicht nur als Geschbpf, sondern als Schopfer zugleich kennen le h rte , Dadurch kann er das Universum nun in sich selber finden, , , , Freilich darf der vollendete Idealismus das Universum nicht ver- nichten, indem er es zu einer blossen Allégorie, zu einem nichtigen SchattenbiIde der eigenen Beschranktheit herab- wUrdigt, Religion muss ihm das Gegengewicht halten und ihn einen hbheren Realismus ahnen lassen als den, welcben er so kUhn und mit so vollem Recht sich untergeordnet,^

The dangers inherent in this theory are also recognized by

Jaffe(, who cites a related statement of Novalis:

"Die hbchste Aufgabe der Bildung ist, sich seines transzen- dentalen Selbst zu bemachtigen, das Ich seines Ich zugleich zu sein," Ein solches BiIdungsideal ersetzt Frommigkeit durch einen erschreckenden Verstandeskult und gbttliche Gnade durch die Selbstherrlichkeit des Ich, Das ursprUng- lich religiose Ziel wird dem menschlichen Willen untergeord- net, und darin liegt der Keim zu aller Schrankenlosigkeit. (p. 428)

Arrogance--the desire to be "mighty, powerful and great"

(Stoudt, p, 273 ) headed Boehme's b rief lis t of possible sin s, A

3 Fritz Strich, Pie Mythologie in der deutschen Literatur von Klopstock bis Wagner (Hal le a, S,, I9I0 ), I I , 3. 173

strong statement against self-elevation and pride is also made by

Schelling in his praise of classical myths as devices for teaching

propriety and . . die Verabscheuung des Ubermuths. . . . die

hbchste S ittlic h k e it [lieg t] in der Anerkennung der Schranken und der Begrenzung. . . The possibility of evil occurs when one

trie s "seine Selbstheit . . . zum Allwill en zu erhebsn, dagegen das Geistige in sich zum Mittel zu machen. . .

Schubert echoes the thinking of Schleiermacher regarding

the necessity of keeping in mind the higher world of religion, but

stresses also the fallacy of any self-elevation and the danger

involved for the one who attempts it;

So is t auch dem Menschen die Sinnenwelt und sein armes Selbst Gegenstand der Liebe und des Sehnens geworden, wahrend der ursprlingl iche Gegenstand seiner Liebe, die Region des Geistigen und Gbttlichen, ihn kalt lasset. . . . Der Arme, der sich stolz zum Menschen-Schbpfer, zum Schbpfer der Natur machen wollte, ist ein Schbpfer des lodes geworden, seine Welt zum Grabe. , , . (Traum, p. Ill)

Hoffmann says almost the same thing in "Jesuiterkirche":

. . . Frevel ist es, wenn du nur die Verwegenen achtest, welche taub fur das Klirren der Skiavenkette, fUhllos fur den Oruck des Irdischen, sich frei, ja selbst sich Gott wahnen und schaffen und herrschen wollen liber Licht und Leben.--Kennst du die Fabel von dem Prometheus, der Schbpfer sein wollte und das Feuer vom Himmel stahl, um seine toten Figuren zu baleben?—Es gelang ihm, . . . aber rettungslos wurde der Frevler, der sich angemasst.

il Schelling, "Philosophie der Kunst," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 437, 440.

^ Schelling, "Menschliche Freihei t ," Werke, Hauptband IV, 281. 174

Gottiiches zu fahen, verdammt zu ewiger fUrchterlicher Q,ua1 . . . . Der das Himmlische gawollt, fiihlte ewig den irdischen Schmerz. (PW I I , 483)

In his treatment of Elixiere, Werner stresses the importance for Hoffmann of the theme of personal elevation in its negative as­ pects, and his comments apply to many of Hoffmann's other works as wel 1 :

Aus vielen Einzelstellen des Romans wird deutlich, dass der Dichter den Keim und die Ursache allés Bosen im Willen des Menschen sieht, das Schicksal selbst zu gestalten und in seinem Ablauf zu bestimmen. Zugespitzt liesse sich formu- lieren: Schicksalsergebenheit ist eine Gabe Gottes, wahrend im Vertrauen auf die eigene Kraft der Geist des Bosen ver- borgen i s t . . , . SUnde ist es, wenn der Mensch sich zum Herrscher Uber sein Leben aufwirft und vergisst, dass er nur das Geschopf einer hoheren Macht ist. Allés irdische Handeln und Wollen is t letzten Endes Verlockung des Satans, (pp. 78 f.)

In Hoffmann's works, the attempt at personal elevation may take two forms; prying into the secrets of Nature, an activity which goes unpunished only in the case of a privileged few of Nature's favorites, and attempting to manipulate the lives of others, the more

^ It is in terestin g to compare with the above views a very sim ilar statement found in Damonomagie, by Georg Conrad Horst, a con­ temporary of Hoffmann: "Liebe bei Entsagung, Glaube bei Hoffnung sind die ersten Tugenden des Menschen, dessen Loos Beschrankt­ heit ist. Wer sich keck und gottesvergessen Uber Leben und Schick­ sal zu erheben tra c h te t; wer die Bande, die ihn, und wenn auch mit unvolIkommenen menschlichen Dingen und Verbaltnissen verbinden, in wildem Trotz zu zerreissen fahig is t: der la u ft, indem er sich selber innerlich verwildert, wie Faust Gefahr, ein Kind des Teufels zu werden, und in den erhabensten Anlagen seiner Natur, ja grade in ihnen, dem Satan zu huldigen." (I, 158), It is possible that Hoffmann may have been familiar with Horst's work, as Damonomagie was published in I8l8 by the Brothers Wilmans of Frankfurt/M, who also published "Meister FI oh" in 1822, and with whom Hoffmann had corresponded for some years. 175 frequently encountered device, which may involve the use of some of Nature's secrets as a means to gain power over others. The

problem of Nature and her secrets will be taken up in the section dealing with Nature and her sanctuary.

There is considerable variety in the fairly large number of manipulators who appear in Hoffmann's works, not only in their methods, but also in the motivation which prompts them to seek control over other people. Three basic types emerge: (1) the selfish manipulators, who are usually demonically inspired,

(2) the well-meaning bunglers, ordinary people who assume inimical aspects by trying to rise above their stations, usually with catastrophic results, and (3) the unselfish manipulators, religious and artistic people, whom Hoffmann considered equally near the Divine, and whose activities work in opposition to the inimical force.

The Selfish Manipulators

In this largest of the three groups, the manipulators

involved may again be divided into three subgroups, according to

their motives—the urge for personal power, the wish for personal

gain, and the desire to seize another's soul. Accordingly their

victims run the risk of losing their personalities, their freedom,

and th eir chance for bliss beyond the grave. The misuse of

hypnotism by the manipulators as a means to gain mastery over their

victims is apparent on all three levels, showing Hoffmann's fas­

cination with the mesmeric phenomenon. Hoffmann's fear of loss of

the self, especially through insanity and usurpation of the personality 176 by a double, has been mentioned. This same fear of loss of personality lies also at the root of his suspicion toward hypnotism;

Wie, wenn dies plotzliche Hineinspringen fremder Bilder in unsere Ideenreihe, die uns gleich mit besonderer Kraft zu ergreifen pflegen, eben durch ein fremdes psychisches Prinzip veranlasst wUrde? Wie, wenn es dem fremden Geiste unter gewissen Umstanden moglich ware, den magnetischen Rapport auch ohne Vorbereitung so herbeizufUhren, dass wir uns w illenlos ihm fligen mUssten? ("Das ode Haus," Dichtungen, IX, 161)

Any creature or power that was capable of usurping another's person­ ality was, in Hoffmann's eyes, an inimical force of the most terri­ fying kind, for it left its victim a helpless shell, dependent upon and defenseless against the will of the usurper. The victim was thus rendered incapable of absorbing any ideas but those provided by the commanding power and removed by this singular dependence from the p o ssib ility of self-deliverance. Hoffmann expresses his strong aversion to the "animal magnetism" enjoying its original period of popularity in his day through statements of Theodor and

Lothar, two of the three SerapionsbrUder who represent himself.

Lothar comments:

Irgendwo heisst e s , der Magnetismus sei ein schneidendes gefahrliches Instrument in der Hand eines Kindes, ich bin mit diesem Ausspruch einverstanden. . . . Ebenso mochte das eigne Magnetisieren . . . ohne a lle Einmischung des Magnétiseurs wenigstens insofern minder gefahrlich genannt warden, als dann keine vielleicht feindlich wirkende Kraft eines fremden geistigen Prinzips denkbar. (Serapions­ brUder , Dichtungen, XIII, 332)

Theodor continues with his views regarding his observation of a young patient and her doctor-hypnotist;

Ich musste erstaunen, aber diese ganzliche Willenlosigkeit der Somnambule, dies ganzliche Aufgeben des eignen Ichs, 177

diese trostlose Abhangigkeit von einem fremden, geistigen Prinzip, ja diese durch das fremde Prinzip allein bedingte Existenz e rfU llte mich mit Grausen und Entsetzen. . . , (XIII, 344 f .)

The best defense of a prospective victim is a healthy frame of mind, for only through some weakness on the part of the victim can the magnétiseur, like other inimical forces, gain control over him.

Illness or even sleep, when the mental processes are weakened, may provide the vulnerability necessary for the inimical force to obtain a foothold.

However, not only the somnambulist, but also the hypnotist himself is exposed to danger while practicing his art, for it places him in temptation to probe too deeply into the secrets of Nature, already mentioned as the other possibility for self-elevation:

Wer mag frevelich und vermessen eindringen wollen in das tie f s te Geheimnis der Natur, wer mag erkennen, ja nur deutlich ahnen wollen das Wesen jenes geheimnisvol1 en Bandes, das Geist und Korper verkniipft und auf diese Wei se unser Sein bedingt. Auf diese Erkenntnis ist aber doch der Magnetismus ganz eigentlich b a s ie rt. . . . (XIII, 330)

The Urge for Personal Power

Among those magnétiseurs who seek personal power are Alban and the Danish Major ("Magnétiseur"), whose demonic connections have already been discussed. They freely admit their attempts to approach the power of God through the subjegation of others. For Alban,

Der Fokus, in dem sich allés Geistige sammelt, ist Gott 1-- Je mehr Strahlen sich zur Feuerpyramide sammeln—desto naher ist der Fokus '. (Dichtungen, IX, 46) 178

Similar motivation is evident from the Danish Major's speech in the

young Baron's trancelike dream:

Was kriimmst und windest du dich in deiner Knechtschaft, die du vergebens abzuschlitteln strebst?—Ich bin dein Gott, der dein Innerstes durchschaut, und allés, was du darin jemals verborgen hast oder verbergen wil1st, liegt hell und klar vor mir, ("Magnetisuer," Dichtungen, IX, 10)

Alban managed to utilize Marie's very nature as the vulnerable point

through which to gain possession of her mind:

Marie ganz in mein Selbst zu ziehen, ihra ganze Existenz, ihr Sein so in dem meinigen zu verweben, dass die Trennung davon sie vernichten muss, das war der Gedanke, der mich hoch beseligend nur die Erfu‘l lung dessen aussprach, was die Natur wollte. (IX, 49)

Marie's reaction to Alban develops from indifference, a fte r th eir first meeting, through positive feeling toward him due to his sug­ gestions to her while she slept,^ through a brief relapse into distrust, to a final complete acceptance of him as her master,

Alban's wish to become Godlike was realized, at least as far as

Marie was concerned, for she credited him with filling her mind with "divine ideas" and she capitalized the pronouns referrin g to him, emphasizing her reverence:

Nur in diesem mit Ihm und in Ihm Sein kann ich wahrhaftig leben . . . ja, indem ich dieses schreibe,

^ The picture of himself which Alban introduced into M arie's dreams was that of a "Sarastro" or "der weise Salomo," "wie der romantische Konig in der marchenhaften Geisterwelt . . . [der] alien bosen Zauber loste." ("Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 38). 179

fühle ich nur zu sehr, dass nur Er es i s t , der mir den Ausdruck gibt. . . . ("Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, k o r

The subjective nature of the inimical force is demonstrated by

Alban's labeling the love between Marie and Hypolit as "an alien

inimical power," which it is, of course, with regard to Alban,

However, from the point of view of an objective observer, this

label is just the opposite of the truth, indicating that the per­

son who regards this love negatively is on the side of error and of

the inimical force itself. Alban's confident description of his complete power over Marie echoes her rhapsodic one:

Nur meines Blicks, meines festen Willens bedurfte es, sie in den sogenanntçn somnambulen Zustand zu versetzen, der nichts anders war, als das ganzliche Hinaustreten aus sich selbst und das Leben in der hoheren Sphare des Meisters. Es war mein Geist, der sie willig auf- nahm und ihr die Schwingen gab, dem Kerker, mit dem sie die Menschen Uberbaut hatten zu entschweben. Nur in diesem Sein in mir kann Marie fortleben, und sie ist ruhig und glUcklich. (IX, 50)

The true fa c ts, however, were quite d ifferen t. While Alban claimed

to have freed Marie, actually he had made her his helpless slave, so dependent upon him that when he withdrew his support on the day of her marriage to Hypolit, she fell dead.

In "Magnétiseur" Hoffmann demonstrates for the first time his notion of the tremendous effort and mental strain which must be ex­ pended by the hypnotist in order to keep his subject under

g Cf. Schelling's terminology when he discusses the mystics' belief in the oneness of man and God and that man's feeling of free­ dom is proof "dass wir in Gott leben und sind" ("Menschliche Frei­ hei t ," Werke, Hauptband II/, 231). Cf. also Hoffmann's d iary , February 18, l8l 1 : ". . . Ktch—in ihr leben und sind wir Ï' 180 q control. Thus while Alban "with arms outstretched to the North drew into himself new strength from the World Spirit . . (IX,

3k), the Danish Major is described as being inherently exceedingly strong, physically as well as mentally. Rather than receiving strength from some outside source, he is represented as being able to retain his existence only by repeated physical battles with

Satan, the very anticipation of which demanded a vast store of courage and determination. Yet even this suparhumanly strong will was unable to cope with the natural resistance of a healthy mind, for the young Baron awoke in terror from his trance instead of sinking into helpless submission, and the Danish Major was found dead. Along with the termination of the Baron's dependence upon the Major (this dependence was looked upon by the Baron as "love"), came "the moment of destruction" (IX, 9), previously suggested to the Baron by telepathic means, but probably in a way not intended by the Major, who no doubt had sim ilar plans as Alban for dealing with a difficult subject,

Euphemie (Elixiere) managed to weave, not with hypnotism, but with the magic of her beauty and charm, a spell nearly as strong as the mesmeric tran ce, and with strong mystic overtones:

liberal 1, wo sie erschien, ging ein neues, herrl iches Leben auf, und man huldigte ihr mit dem glUhendsten Enthusiasmus;

Q In her discussion of mystic contemplation, including the self-hypnotic aspect of it, Underhill mentions suffering on the part of the mystics presumably caused by "the immense strain which exalted spirit puts upon a body which is adapted to a very different form of life " (pp, 58 f , ) . 131

den Unbedeutendsten, Leblosesten wusste sie selbst in sein eignes Inneres hinein zu entzUnden, dass er wie inspiriert sich Uber die eigne OUrfigkeit erhob und entzUckt in den GenUssen eines hoheren Lebens schwelgte, die ihm unbekannt gewesen. Es fehlte natUrlicherweise nicht an Anbetern, die taglich zu der Gottheit mit Inbrunst flehten; . . . sie [wusste] alle mit einem unauflos lichen Bande zu umschiingen, dass sie sich, festgezaubert in dem magischen Kreise, froh und lustig bewegten. (Elixiere, PW II, 66 f .)

By means of her charm, she hoped to control her own destiny by

eliminating opposition to her plans in those around her;

Gibt es etwas Hoheres, als das Leben im Leben zu beherr- schen, alle seine Erscheinungen, seine reichen GenUsse wie im machtigen Zauber zu bannen, nach der WillkUr die dem Herrscher verstattet?--Du, Viktorin, gehortest von jeher zu den wenigen, die mich ganz verstanden, auch du hattest dir den Standpunkt Uber dein Selbst gestellt, und ich verschmahte es daher nicht, dich wie den konig- 1ichen Gemahl auf meinen Thron im hoheren Reiche zu e r ­ heben. . . . Herrsche mit mir Uber die lappische Puppen- w elt, wie sie sich um uns d reh t. Das Leben muss uns seine herrlich sten GenUsse spenden, ohne uns in seine Beengtheit einzuzwangen. (PW II, 81, 8 5)

Although she was successful in bending the old Baron to her wishes and

in overcoming the "inimical principle" (PW II, 84), i . e, inimical to

herself, which she found in Hermogen and eventually causing him to go

insane, she was not perceptive enough to rea liz e that Medardus was not

Viktorin, but naively credited his supposed physical change to the

power of her and Viktorin's will:

Selbst bei deinem ganz fremdartigen Wesen, das nicht a lle in die Kleidung erzeugt, ist es mir, als unterwerfe sich das Geistige dem herrschenden, es bedingenden Prinzip und wirke so mit wunderbarer Kraft nach aussen, selb st das Korperliche anders formend und gestaltend, . . , (PW I I , 82)

While Viktorin paid for his attempt at self-elevation by his fall into the abyss, Euphemie fell victim to her own scheming and drank the poisoned wine she had meant for Medardus. 182

The motivation of Medardus for personal elevation is much

more complex than th at of Euphemie, and is complicated by his a lte r ­

nating tendencies toward doing evil and punishing evil, a vacillation

utterly lacking in the ruthless Euphemie. From his early desire to

be recognized as a saint^^ simply by use of his power as an orator,

Medardus began attempting to manipulate others physically as well as

emotionally;

Euphemiens Untergang war beschlossen, und der glUhendste Hass soil te, mit der hochsten Inbrunst der Liebe sich vermahlend, mir d e n Genuss gewahren, der nun noch dem Ubermenschl ichen, mir inwohnenden Geiste wilrdig. (PW I I, 9k)

Wie erbarmlich erschienen mir nun jene JUnglinge, die in eitlem Wahn sich um d i e bemUhten, die so ganz und gar mein eigen worden, dass ihr le ise ste r Lebenshauch nur durch das Sein in mir bedingt schien.—Was sind mir diese Offiziere, diese Freiherren . . , als Insektlein, die ich, wird mir das Volk la s tig , mit kraftiger Faust zermalme, (PW I I , 196)

At this point Medardus had become ju st as ru th less as Euphemie, equalling her complete disregard for the rights of others and dis­

playing ju s t as strong a fa ith in his own powers as she had done, overlooking completely the fact that it was just this behavior on

Euphemie's part that had made him despise her and want to kill her.

After his arrival in Rome, Medardus' self-elevation again

took the form of the desire for sainthood, th is time on an even higher

level, as a martyr:

Ich sah mich selbst, wie ich zu den Pforten des Klosters hinausschritt, und wie eine finstere Gestalt mich schnel1

Elixiere, PW II, 39: "Den H e i 1 i gen, den hoch Uber sie erhabenen, soil ten sie in mir erkennen, sich niederwerfen in den Staub und die FUrbitte erflehen vor dem Throne Gottes." 183

mit einem Dolch durchbohrte, . . . So a rb eitete meine Phantasie ein Gemalde aus, das meine Verherrlichung hie- nieden mit lebendigen Farben darstellte, und nicht ge- denkend, nicht ahnend, wie der bose Geist des sündlichen Stolzes mich auf neue Weise zu verlocken trach te, beschloss ich . . , in Rom zu bleiben , . . und so entweder glorreich zu sterben oder . . . emporzusteigen zu hohen Würden der Kirche. (PW II, 324 f.)

His final temptation to play fate by killing Aurelie, although over­ come on his p art, was transm itted, as the majority of Medardus' evil thoughts apparently were, to Viktorin, who carried it out.

Medardus' definitions of him self, his actions, and his moti­ vations undergo many changes. His early feeling was that of personal superiority:

Da keimte in mir der Gedanke auf, ich sei ein besonders Erkorner des Himmels; . . . allés deutete dahin, dass mein G eist, in unmittelbarer Beriihrung mit dem Himmlischen, sich schon hienieden Uber das Irdische erhebe und ich nicht der Welt, den Menschen angehore, denen Hei1 und Trost zu geben ich hier auf Erden wandle. (PW I I , 38)

After drinking the elixiers, he substituted for his feelings of related­ ness to the heavenly powers feelings of relatedness to the demonic ones:

Es war nur m e i n e Kraft, entflammt von geheimnisvollen Machten, die sie [Euphemie] zwingen konnte . . . [und] sie wie die feindliche Macht selbst umkrallte, so dass keine Freiheit mehr moglich. (PW II, 86)

After his violent quarrel with Euphemie, during which he identified himself to her rather cryptically as "the spirit of vengeance,"

Medardus continued to see in himself a personified superhuman power, first still of evil, but then, suddenly, of God:

Jetzt hatte ich mich selbst auf einen Standpunkt gestellt, der mich dem gewohnlichen menschlichen Tun ganz ent- rUckte; . . . mich selbst als den bosen Geist der Rache verkUndend, musste ich das Ungeheuere vollbringen. (PW II, 94) 184

Nicht fliehen wollt' ich mehr,—ja ihnen entgegenschreiten, die Rache Gottes an den Frevlern in donnernden Worten verkUndend, (PW I I , 97)

In his own eyes, Medardus had risen not only above his fellow human

beings, but above the powers of good and evil and had become a kind

of eternal force, subject to no judgment but his own:

Wie das waltende Verhangnis selbst trat ich ein, den bos- haften Frevel strafend und den Sunder in dem ihm bereiteten Untergange entsUndigend. ..." (PW I I, 100)

After this epitome of se lf-e lev a tio n , Medardus' confidence in him­

self gradually became replaced by his belief that he was only a tool

of dark powers and that his strength came not from him self, but from

them,^^ and that his position was no better than Euphemie's had been:

. . . wo sind nun deine hochf1iegenden Plane, der Glaube an deine Uberirdische Macht, womit du das Schicksal selbst nach WillkUr zu lenken wahntest; . . . schmachvol1 ver- derben wirst du in trostlosem Jammer. . . . (PW II, 218)

From this low point, Medardus slowly regained a proper perspective

of his own powers to govern his own actions, but not the destiny of

others or even of himself. Of course his progress was not regular,

and one instance of regression--his attempt to manipulate Aurelie— was so violent that he suffered a temporary loss of self through a

period of insanity. Other periods of regression were briefer, and

realization of the truth and return to appropriate action followed more rapidly:

. . . trostend war die Überzeugung, dass wenigstens der hollische Geist des Stolzes, die Vermessenheit, es

^ ^ E lix ie re , PW I I , 145: "Aber ich selbst war herabgesunken zum elenden Spielwerk der bosen, geheimnisvollen Macht, die mich mit unaufloslichen Banden umstrickt hielt, so dass ich, der frei zu sein glaubte, mich nur innerhalb des Kafichts bewegte, in den ich rettungs­ los gesperrt worden." 185

aufzunehmen mit den dunklen Machten, mich verlassen habe. (Elixiere. PW II, 329)

But the "hellish spirit of pride" attained expression again at

Aurelie's investiture when his criticism of the Abbess demonstrated his own lack of humility:

Hast du jemals gekampft mit der dunklen Macht wie ich?-- Kannst du dich eines wahren Sieges erfreuen, wenn kein barter Kampf vorherging?—Flihlst du dich selbst so stark, dass du d e n verachtest, der dem machtigsten Feinde erlag und sich dennoch erhob in tie fe r Reue und Busse? (PW I I , 351)

Medardus' final exercise in self-elevation was one of a more positive nature at the suggestion of the Prior—he wrote his auto­ biography, successfully assuming the elevated position of one who has an overview of the facts of his life, but no longer the selfish desire to change or manipulate any part of it:

Die Phantasie wird dich wirklich in die Welt zurUckfUhren, du w irst allés noch einmal fUhlen, . . . aber hat der Geist des Bosen dich ganz verlassen, hast du dich ganz vom Irdischen abgewendet, so wirst du wie ein hoheres Prinzip Uber a llé s schweben. . . . (PW I I, 3&2)

According to Hoffmann's interpretation, Don Juan ("Don Juan"), too, similar to Euphemie, struggled to escape the inhibiting bonds of conventional life, using his attractiveness as a weapon. Unlike

Euphemie, however, Don Juan is closely related to the Hoffmannesque artist-hero, attempting to still the incomprehensible "longing" for the Divine "that tears his breast" through the only means that seemed to provide an answer—sensual love, Hoffmann is careful to state that the idea was presented to Don Juan "durch des Erbfeindes List,"

Never capable of being a successful substitute for the divine love he unconsciously desired, sensual love disappointed him over and over and 186 called forth in him "tiefe Verachtung der gemeinen Ansichten des

Lebens, Uber die er sich erhoben fUhlte" and "bitter scorn" for the people who could find happiness in this conventional life with­ out feeling the need to satisfy a deeper longing "which Nature malevolently placed in our breast" except as it could be fulfilled by the aspects of ordinary life. Defiance against that which he interpreted to be an "unknown fate-determining Being" which bound him to the pettiness of earthly life made him keep trying, ever unsuccessfully, to escape by rising above the conventional, above

Nature (whom he blamed for his longing), and above the Creator

(who may perhaps be equated with "the unknown fate-determining

Being," which Don Juan considered inimical to himself personally), by harming and spoiling other humans:

Jede VerfUhrung einer geliebten Braut, jedes durch einen gewaltigen, nie zu verschmerzendes Unhei1 bringenden Schlag gestorte GlUck der Liebenden is t ein herrlicher Triumph Uber jene feindliche Macht, der ihn immer mehr hinaushebt aus dem beengenden Leben—Uber die Natur—Uber den Schopfer I—Er will auch wirklich immer mehr aus dem Leben, aber nur um hinab- zustUrzen in den Orkus. Annas VerfUhrung mit den dabei ein- getretenen Umstanden ist die hochste Spitze, zu der er sich erhebt. ("Don Juan," Dichtungen, I, 152)

Unlike Hoffmann's artist, who rises above the ordinary through his artistic creation which inspires other human beings and places the artist in the position of a mediator between man and the Divine,

Don Juan attempted to rise through the ruin of others, thereby becoming a demonic instrument of destruction. Don Juan's character does, however, display an aspect of heroic tragedy which is to ta lly lacking in the petty conceitedness of Euphemie, a contrast brought out especially plainly in their death scenes—he snatched up bodily 187 by hellish demons in the presence of the uncanny colossus, defiant to the end, while she naively fell victim to her own trite scheme, expiring alone in her room.

The Desire for Personal Gain

The most popular motivation among Hoffmann's manipulators for personal gain is love, especially romantic love for a person whose in terests lie elsewhere and whose affections must therefore be ruthlessly altered in favor of the manipulator, no matter how violent the shock to the beloved.

Doubly guilty of stealing the betrothed of another by means of hypnosis was Graf S—i ("Gast"), who succeeded in alienating the affections first of Bogislav's sweetheart, and then, some years later, attempted to take the place of Moritz, who was assumed dead, in Angelika's heart. In the case of the l a t te r , S--i worked as did

Alban on the unconscious of the girl while she slept, but had little success in influencing Angelika in his favor, even after four years of effort ("Der Graf--der schreckliche Grafl—Nein, nein--nimmer- mehr 5' Dichtungen, Ml, 125). Only after S--i had resorted to complicated maneuvers involving Marguerite and the Chevalier von T. to keep Moritz a prisoner and Angelika under hypnotic surveillance day and night, did the girl, believing Moritz dead, react at all positively to S—i's romantic overtures. Her continued clear and loving remembrance of Moritz as well as the fact that she survived

S—i's death and consequent withdrawal of support with no more than a brief period of unconsciousness attest to Angelika's healthy mental 188

state. After the girl's recovery, her relieved mother recognized

that her intuition had told her the truth: "Immer war es mir, als wuVde mein Herzenskind mit dem Trauringe unheimlichen Machten geweiht" (VI, 144).

At the same time Angelika was being influenced by the "un­ ceasing spirit voice" (VI, I38), which was actually telepathic sug­ gestion of S--i and Marguerite, Moritz too was being manipulated by their will, his normally healthy resistance having been lowered by his wound. As in the case of Angelika, his sleep was used as a vehicle for messages the conspirators wished to convey to him:

Ich sah Angelika, aber es war, als verginge die Gestalt in zitternden Schimmer, und vergebens range ich darnach, sie festzuhalten. Ein anderes Wesen drangte sich dazwischen und legte sich an meine Brust und erfasste in meinem Inner- sten mein Herz, und in der glUhendsten Qual untergehend, wurde ich durchdrungen von einem fremden wunderbaren WonnegefUhl, (VI, 14/)

The "other being" that invaded Moritz' dreams was Marguerite, who

loved him, and the hypnotic effect was heightened by her picture, which had been hung opposite his bed. The arrival of Bogislav and his company of soldiers brought Moritz back to reality:

Ich erkenne den frohlichen Marsch russischer Reuterei, mein ganzes Herz geht mir auf in heller Lust, es i s t , als wenn auf den Tonen freundliche Geister zu mir wallen und zu mir sprechen . . . als wenn das wiedergewonnene Leben mir die Hande reicht, mich aufzurichten aus dem Sarge, in dem mich eine feindliche Macht verschlossen'. (VI, 148)

Moritz used the same words as Bogislav to describe S--i's effect upon his beloved: "Er hat dich verlockt durch satanische KUnste"

(VI, 143), that is, by means of hypnosis. 189

The affair involving Bogislav, S—i , and Bogislav's sweet­

heart did not end as happily for the lovers as that of Moritz and

Angelika, however. As the girl was about to marry the S ic ilia n ,

she fell dead, echoing the fate of Marie in "Magnétiseur," The

cause of her death was said to be nervous apoplexy, the same malady

as later caused the death of S--i, an indication again of the ex­

treme strain involved in hypnosis, often on the part of both parti- 12 cipants, according to Hoffmann's view. After Bogislav's duel with

S—i , who was wounded slig h tly , Bogislav was tormented by what he

assumed was the evil s p irit of the supposedly dead Count ("Seit jenem ungliicklichen Tage in Neapel verfolgt mich das Grauen, das

Entsetzen der Hoi le'," Dichtungen, Ml, 115), Since Count S--i had

not been k ille d , it was obviously not his ghost which was plaguing

Bogislav, but probably telepathic suggestion originating with Count

S—i or his fiancee' either from a motive of jealousy (on his part) or revenge (on hers), which terminated with the destruction of the

girl's picture or with her death. Whether these two phenomena occurred at the same in sta n t, which would be a typical Hoffmann device, is not explained, nor is the source of the "spirit," If, however, it was the girl whose changed allegiance and desire for revenge motivated Bogislav's difficulties, there is double reason for her death. Not only was Count S--i working on her mind, but she, in turn, was occupied with Bogislav's, When Bogislav had

12 S—i foresaw his death after the departure of Marguerite: "Bis zum hochsten Moment trate ich kiihn der feindl ichen Macht [Moritz, who was, of course, inimical to S--i and his plans] entgegen, Aber ich flihl es, dieser Moment gibt mir den jahen Tod I" ("Gast," Dichtungen, VI, 152), 190

recovered from the wound caused by the same bullet which destroyed

the picture, he had also recovered from his infatuation for the

girl, indicating his release from her power. If the "spirit"

originated with S—i , it is possible that S—i's new entanglement

with Angelika caused him to lose interest in Bogislav.

Three cases of manipulation for love via mesmerism are

dealt with in "Das ode Haus." The first occurs in a subplot and

deals with an Italian officer in Germany who was apparently under

the magnetic power of a once-loved woman in Pisa named Antonia.

After suffering from pain, trances, and unexplainable weariness, the

Italian officer eventually died, again of apoplexy, at the same

moment when Antonia died, clutching his picture "with loving arms"

("Haus," Dichtungen, IX, I 65 ). In the attempt to absorb her absent

lover mentally in the hope of winning him physically as well, she

succeeded not only in destroying herself, very much as S—i did, but

also in destroying her lover.

The second subplot is interwoven with the main story and

deals with some of the same people as does the main story. Again an

old love which had existed at one time between Count von S. and

Countess Angelika, sim ilar to the situ atio n between Antonia and the

Italian officer, provided the necessary susceptibility required for

Angelika to draw him into her power. She was more successful than

Antonia, however, for in addition to causing the Count von S. to

suffer physical pain while he was distant, she induced him to leave

his wife and return to her. Nonetheless, the experiment in manipu­

lation ended with his death, again of apoplexy, and her insanity. 191

The main plot deals with the successful attempts of the old

insane Countess Angelika to lure Theodor, whom she apparently mis­

took for her dead lover, into her house by telepathical1 y projecting

the picture of herself as a young girl into a mirror in Theodor's

possession. Theodor is presented as being so sensitive that his

friends dub him "Spalanzanische Fledermaus," so Angelika's hypnotic

efforts fell upon a fertile medium. Although she could not gain

complete possession of his mind, she continued to try to do so, even

after the abortive encounter in her house, and continued to make

him uncomfortable:

Nur so viel sage ich noch, dass mich nach diesen Begeben- heiten ein driickendes, unheiml iches GefUhl aus der Residenz trieb, welches erst nach einiger Zeit mich plotzlich ver- liess. Ich glaube, dass die Alte in dem Augenblick, als ein ganz besonderes Wohlsein mein Innerstes durchstrdmte, gestorben ist. ("Gast," Dichtungen, IX, 177)

A final example of mesmeric manipulation for love is found in

a subplot of "Magnétiseur." Here Alban's friend Theobald succeeded

in regaining the love of his childhood sweetheart, Auguste, who had

fallen in love with an Italian officer while Theobald was away at the

university. She became so distraught when the officer was trans­

ferred that she could not even recognize Theobald when he returned.

Through suggestions made to her while she slept, Theobald succeeded

in inducing the girl to accept him again, first in an unconscious

state, then eventually also in a wakeful one:

Bald nachher gestand sie unter vielen Tranen, wie sie sich gegen ihn vergangen; wie es einem Fremden auf eine seltsame Weise gelungen, sie von ihm abwendig zu machen, so dass s ie , wie von einer fremden Gewalt befangen, ganz aus ihrem eigenen Wesen herausgstreten sei, aber Theobalds wohltatige Erscheinung 192

in lebhaften Traumen habe die feindlichen Geister, die sie bestrickt, verjagtj ja, sie mlisse gestehen, dass sie jetzt nicht einmal des Fremden aussere Gestalt sich ins Gedachtnis zurUckrufen konne . . . und nur Theobald lebe in ihrem Innern, Alban und Theobald, beide waren Uberzeugt, dass Augusten der wirkliche Wahnsinn, von dem sie ergriffen worden, ganz1ich verlassen hatte. . . . ("Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 30)

Auguste was persuaded to accept her love affair with the Italian as

having been induced by "an alien power," yet nowhere in the events

of the story are we led to believe that the Italian had any powers

but an attractive appearance and typically Italian persuasiveness.

Her love for the Italian was regarded by Theobald and Alban simply

as insanity, completely disregarding the girl's point of view. Thus

although the Italian received the blame for using "an alien power"

to gain his ends, and it was Theobald who attempted to assume the

role of the wronged lover, in re a lity the facts are ju s t the reverse.

Theobald and Alban spread a smoke screen of falseness, typical of

inimical forces, to mask their own shoddy activities, for the Italian was innocent and it was Theobald, who in league with the sinister

Alban, used hypnotic power in what Werner terms "geistige Vergewaltigung"

(p. 104).

The fact that an unwanted love may, simply by its existence, threaten the psychological stability of an extremely sensitive

individual is illustrated in Kater Murr. Although Kreisler was aware of the psychic relationship between himself and Princess Hedwiga, the abbot's indication to him that Hedwiga might be in love with him surprised and frightened Kreisler;

Es war ihm, als wolls eine fremde g eistig e Macht gewaltsam in sein Inneres dringen und ihm die Freiheit des Gedankens rauben. (Murr, Dichtungen, \l, 358) 193

In a similar case of manipulation unawares, the traveling Enthusiast

("Das Sanctus") caused Bettina to lose her voice by the power of suggestion, even though that was not his serious intention;

. . . haltet Ubrigens meine Hexerei fur Scherz, unerachtet es mir zuweilen recht schwar aufs Herz f a l l t , dass ich ohne Wissen und Willen einer unbekannten psychischen Kraft zum Medium des Entwickelns und Einwirkens auf Bettina gedient haben mag. ("Sanctus," Dichtungen, V III, 87 )

Apparently the E nthusiast's joking admonition ("Wissen Sie denn nicht . . . dass es sUndlich ist, dass es nicht straflos bleibt, wenn man wahrend des Sanctus die Kirche verlasst?--S ie werden so bald nicht mehr in der Kirche singenl" VIII, 89), coupled with

Bettina's conscience, effected her loss of voice.

Perhaps the most ruthless of Hoffmann's non-mesmeric manipulators for personal gain, her desire to rise to the nobility as the mother of a reigning princess, is Ratin Benzon:

. . . sie [war] es eig en tlich , welche die Faden des Puppen- spiels an diesem Miniaturhof zog. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 46)

Through tire le s s scheming she affected the lives of every principal member of the court, including the two individualists who did not fear her, Meister Abraham and Kreisler, for she incited Flirst Irenaus to kidnap Abraham's clairvoyant wife in hopes of lessening his power at court and increasing her own, and she arranged that her daughter

Julia, whom Kreisler loved, become engaged to the doltish Prince

Ignatius, so that she would eventually, through Julia, control the court absolutely, Madame Benzon was quite aware of the dangers of self-elevation, but believed that they applied only to others, not herself, and felt justified in criticising Kreisler to Meister 194

Abraham for attempting to rise above the mundane situations in life 13 by escaping into art or wit:

WeisSt du den, . . . ob ich nicht allein in konventionellen Verhaltnissen des Lebens, die der Uberspannte Kreisler ver- achtlich finden mag, Trost und Ruhe fand?—Glaubst du denn nicht Uberhaupt, alter Mann, . . , dass es ein gefahrliches Spiel ist, sich liber jene Verbaltnisse erheben und dem Welt- geist nahertreten zu wollen in der Mystifikation des eigenen Seins? (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 293)

She justified her own manipulative practices as expressions of love and concern: "Retten muss ich die, die mir teuer sind . . (V,

295). Yet the only result of her efforts in the past had been un­ happiness for those she manipulated, and at the end of the fragment, still greater unhappiness seems inevitable for her victims.

The personal gain hoped for by the Pope (Elixiere) was the attainment of an intellectual sparring partner:

. . . er glaubte, sich mit dir zu einem hohern Standpunkt erheben und in sUndhaftem VernUnfteln Uber a lle Tugend und Religion recht erlaben und erkraftigen zu konnen, um, wie ich wohl sagen mag, mit rechter Begeisterung fur die SUnde zu sUndigen. (Elixiere, PW II, 337)

13 In a footnote to her discussion of man's relationship with Lucifer, who fell because he strove to rise too high, Jaffe connects with Johannes Kreisler a statement of Boehme: "Vgl, Jacob B 0 e h m e Uber Luzifers Sturz: 'Der eigne Wille war der Anfang der H offart.' Aus: 'Mysterium Magnum', Werke, Leipzig, 1843, Bd. V, S. 41. Hoffmann hat in der Gestalt des wahnsinnigen Musikers Johannes Kreisler einen am GefUhl der Unbedingtheit gescheiterten Menschen dargestellt: '. . . als er im GefUhl der gottlichen Uber- macht, die ihm der Geist verliehen, sich frei regen und bewegen wollte, da musste er wahnsinnig sein'" (Jaffe"^ p. 589, note 179). This quotation would indicate that Kreisler's insanity was a result of his attempt at uncontrolled self-elevation. In context, however, the meaning of th is passage is quite d iffe re n t, for Berganza explains that because Kreisler was artistically talented, and thus different from his prosaic neighbors, they assumed he was insane ("Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 31). 195

Even the Pope was not immune to the deadly temptation of rising

above the rest of the world and above religion itself,

A humorous instance of attempted personal elevation with

negative results takes place in "Die KonigsbrautEven in this

fairy tale world, the forces of evil work through deception and

delusion. Annchen von Zabelthau was so dazzled at the thought of

becoming a queen through her prospective marriage to the gnome king,

that she broke off with her fiance^of long standing, offering to make

him her court poet, only to regret her haste when she discovered the

true nature of Daucus Carota's kingdom and the fact that she was

beginning to look like a carrot, a hard fate indeed for a pretty

young g irl ;

0 mein herzlieber Amandus, verzeihe doch nur, was ich dir in meiner Verblendung geschriebenAber ich war ja ver- hext und bin es wohl noch. . . . 0 spotte nicht . . . ich bin fur meinen ein faltig en Stolz, e ine Kbnigin werden zu wollen, hart genug bestraft I ("Konigsbraut," Dichtungen, VII, 306)

The position of Torbern ("Falun") as a manipulator is

difficult to determine. According to legend, he worked unceasingly,

now as during his lifetime, for the good of the mines--warning

miners of danger, showing them new veins of o re, and recruiting new miners when there was a labor shortage, which seems, on the surface, almost a noble course of action. Since Torbern was reputed to be in

league, however, with "the secret force which reigns in the bowels of the earth and boils metals" (Dichtungen, IX, 207), his interest

14 The Pope seems a good example of a group Schelling dubbed "geistige Wol liistl inge," who succumb to the "Hochmutsgeist" because they are not sufficiently righteous; "Menschliche Freiheit," Werke, Hauptband IV, 28$, 196 in furthering the mine may perhaps be designated as a desire for personal gain. In spite of his obvious demonic connections,

Torbern did not seek personal power, nor did he seem to be interested in Elis' soul, but just in his undivided allegiance to his work,

Torbern's influence on E lis' dreams has already been discussed above in another connection.

The Desire to Seize Another's Soul

This category is very small, consisting only of Dapertutto and O'Malley, for the other devil figures and inimical characters are portrayed following other activities, Trabacchio and Denner

("Danner"), for example, were chiefly interested in obtaining in­ gredients for their e lix ir s , Klingsohr and Nasias ("Kampf") are introduced primarily to act as foils to show off Wolfframb's virtues, and Fermino Valies ("Datura") engaged in his own unique method for gaining converts for the Je su its, which might of course also be desig­ nated as the desire to seize souls, although his procedure was questionable, to say the least. The purpose of Satan's presence in

Berlin ("Aus dem Leben eines bekannten Mannes") is not discovered.

The purpose of O'Malley ("Elementargeist") and Dapertutto

("SiIvester-Nacht"), however, is unmistakable. While O'Malley made use of the mesmeric trance to enmesh V i k t o r , D a p e r t u t t o acted less subtly, using his knowledge of Erasmus' g u ilt of murder and

"Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 252: ". . , ich versank in jenen Zustand des wirren Traumens, den ich fur unnatiirlich, fur die Wirkung irgend eines fremden Prinzips erkennen musste," 197

Giulietta's possession of Erasmus' shadow to blackmail his victim into becoming more deeply embroiled in evil. Once Dapertutto and

O'Malley were certain of their victims' emotional involvement with their beautiful lures, they attempted to exact the traditional promise from them to surrender their souls. Thus Aurora asked:

“Konntest du wohl um den Preis meines Besitzes der Seligkeit eines unbekannten Jenseits entsagen?" ("Elementargei s t Pi chtungen, VI,

248), while G iulietta dictated a somewhat more complex text which

Erasmus would be expected to sign with his own blood:

Ich gebe meinem guten Freunde Dapertutto Macht Uber meine Frau und Uber mein Kind, dass er mit ihnen schalte und walte nach WillkUr und lose das Band, das mich bindet, wei1 ich fortan mit meinem Leibe und mît meiner unsterblichen Seele angehoren will der Giulietta, die ich mir zum Wei be erkoren, und der ich mich noch durch ein besonderes GelUbde auf immer- dar verbinden werde. ("SiIvester-Nacht," Dichtungen, VI, 45)

Whether O'Malley, as a demonic human, escaped unscathed as Dapertutto

(whose name means "everywhere" and is obviously intended to represent

Satan himself), is not made clear, unless Paul Talkebarth's comment, in his own inimitable "French" is based on knowledge possessed only by him:

"Zackernamtho [sacre nom de Dieu]," horte ihn Albert fur sich murmeln, "es ist gut, dass dan irlandischen Diafel Fus [fils] der Diafel Bar [pVe] langst geholt hat, der hatte hier noch gefehlt l" ("Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 254)

The Well-Meaning Bunglers

Here again, love is a favorite reason for the interference of one person in the life of another, although it is not usually romantic love which is involved, but love for a young person who seems. 198

in the well-meaning eyes of the manipulator, unable to govern his

own affairs without a good deal of outside help. In attempting to

play the role of fats, the well-meaning bunglers succeed only in

transforming themselves into really inimical principles, who do

harm to their proteges and sometimes to themselves. They nearly

always realize their error in trying to elevate themselves, even

though this insight often comes too late to make amends.

The situ atio n of Rat Krespel has been touched upon above.

His attempt to protect Antonie by isolating her from her art and

the world had only a limited success, for she died at an early age

in spite of his efforts. He realized the injustice he had done her only after it was too late:

. . . es geschieht nur allés deshalb, wei1 ich mir vor einiger Zeit einen Schlafrock anfertigte, in dem ich aussehen wol1 te wie das Schicksal oder wie Gott I ("K respelDichtungen, I, 24?)

Junger Mensch I du magst mich fur narrisch, fur wahnsinnig ha 1 ten, das verzeihe ich dir, da wir beide in demselben Irrenhause eingesperrt sind, und du mich dariiber, dass ich Gott der Vater zu sein wahne, nur deshalb s c h ilts t, wei1 du dich fur Gott den Sohn haltst; . . . ("Krespel," Dichtungen, I, 249)

The "Irrenhaus" was the state of error in which both men had found themselves, that of trying to manipulate Antonie, pulling her in opposite directions. Now the Enthusiast was attempting to manipulate

Krespel as well, into admitting that he had carried his interference in Antonie's life to the ultimate extent of killing her. Krespel's grief had brought him insight into his own error as well as the

E nthusiast's, however, and he reacted to the younger man's accusation with understanding and kindness instead of his usual eccentric violence. 199

Similarly the old Widow Helms ("Datura") had tried to

protect the naive Eugenius from the hard knocks of the world by marrying him. She realized the grossness of her error only on her deathbed, after she, Eugenius, and Gretchen had all suffered from the unnatural and ridiculous aspects of the situation;

Ach, erst j e t z t , erst in meinem hohen Alter muss ich es einsehen, dass der irdische Mensch festgehalten ist im Irdischen durch Bande, denen er sich nicht entwinden darf, da der Wille der ewigen Macht sie selbst geschlungen. Ja, Eugenius, es ist ein torichter Frevel, die gerechten An- sprUche des Lebens, wie sie aus der Natur unseres Daseins entspringen, nicht gel ten lassen zu wollen und hochmUtig zu glauben, man ware liber sie erhaben I Nicht Sie, Eugenius, ich allein habe gefehlt, , . , ("Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 293 f .)

Meister Wacht's prejudice against lawyers caused him to attempt to separate his daughter Nanni and his foster son Jonathan, disregarding completely Jonathan's fine character and the love the two young people fe lt for each other. For Jonathan, Wacht had become the personification of fate and all inimical forces,W acht under­ stood from the beginning the folly of playing fate:

. . , es ware Vorwitz, ja vielleicht verderblicher Frevel, der gerade das Gegentei 1 bewirken konnte, wenn man versuchen wollte, mit ohnmachtiger Hand hineinzugreifen in das grosse Schwungrad des Gaschicks, ("Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 310 f ,)

What he did not understand was the fact that he himself was guilty of just this error, and only the final realization that Jonathan's gener­ osity and love of justice surpassed even his own, caused him to under­ stand the falseness of his previous actions,

"Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 296: "Es darf kaum hinzugefUgt werden , , . dass der junge v erlieb te Advokat nach seinen ver- zweiflungsvollen Beteurungen der erste und einzige Mensch auf der 200

Meister Martin's similar meddling with the life of his daughter earned his friend Paumgartner's reproach:

Dem Hiiranel, spracht Ihr, soil Eurer Tochter Schicksal anheimgestel1t sein, und doch g reift Ihr mit irdischer Blodsinnigkeit dem Ratschluss der ewigen Macht vor, indem Ihr eigensinnig vorher festsetzt, aus welchem kleinen Kreise Ihr den Eidam nehmen w olIt. Das kann Euch und Eure Rosa ins Verderben stUrzen. Lasst ab, Meister Martin . . . von solcher unchristlicher kindischer Torheit, lasst die ewige Macht gebieten, die in Eurer Tochter frommes Herz schon den richtigen Ausspruch legen wird. ("Martin," Dichtungen, X, 206)

Meister Martin elevated himself in believing that his interpretation of his grandmother's prophetic song was the only correct one possible

(X, 209), but when evidence proved the contrary, he was the first to recognize the truth;

. . . is t denn nicht allés so gekommen, wie die Alte es geweissagt? . . . 0 ich bloder Tor . . . nun ist allés gut . . . der Eidam ist gefunden I (X, 263 f .)

Less happy results occur after the well-meant manipulations in "Falun," Doppeltganger," and "Pivardiere."

Pehrson Dahlsjo tried to push his daughter Ulla and Elis

Frobom into admitting their love for each other by pretending to betroth Ulla to someone else, but the shock of the thought of losing the girl only caused Elis to pledge his allegiance to Torbern, the first step toward his eventual insanity. Later Pehrson also deter­ mined the wedding day of the young couple, and he refused to believe that Elis' strange behavior resulted from his involvement with demonic forces* ganzen Erde war, dem solch ungeheures geschehn, weshalb er denn auch das Schicksal und a lle feindlichen Machte als nur gegen ihn ver- schworen anklagte." 201

"Glaubt," erwiderte Pehrson Dahlsjo, "glaubt nicht an solche Bergmannsmarlein. . . , Dem tiefsinnigen Neriker hat die Liebe den Kopf verrUckt, das ist allés. Lasst nur die Hochzeit vorUber sein , dann w ird's sich schon geben mit den Trappgangen und Schatzen und dem ganzen unterirdischen Paradiese I" ("Falun," Dichtungen, IX, 214. Cf. also p. 215.)

The "Elend und Jammer" (IX, 217) which clouded Dahlsjo's old age were rea lly brought on, in p a rt, by his own clumsy effo rts at mani pulati on.

Both the Count von Torny and the exiled FUrstin believed that a marriage between the young Prince and his cousin Natalie would solve the problems at court, so that

. . . beide daher a lle Mitt e l , die ihnen zu Cabote standen, aufbietend, dahin streb ten , ein Paar zu vereinen, welches, wie sie wahnten, eine geheimnisvolle Verkettung der Dinge fur einander bestimmt hatte. ("Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, V III, 229)

When their plans seemed about to succeed, the FUrstin's old love for

Torny burst forth in a desperate attempt to remain on a higher plane:

0 Torny, wir gehdren nicht mehr der Erde an, kein irdischer Gram hat hinfort Macht Uber u n s '.--Lass uns die Ruhe, die S eligkeit des Himmels geniessen'. (V III, 232)

The two conspiritors could not accomplish their plans, however, for

Natalie refused to choose between the doubles, preferring to marry n eith er, and even the FUrstin and Torny spent their last years ap art.

In his efforts to rear his motherless daughter free from typically feminine "weaknesses," Chauvelin fostered in her his own theory that love was

. . . ein GefUhl, das ein bdses Prinzip in der Natur mit heilloser Ironie in die menschliche Brust gelegt, da es die Urkraft des menschlichen Geistes breche und nichts herbeifUhre a ls ein durch DemUtigungen, durch lâcherliche Narrheiten aller Art verstortes Leben. ("Pivardiere," Dichtungen, XI, 3I3 ) 202

When she discovered that her husband, whom she had married because

he ostensibly also adhered to her father's theory, had become un­

faithful to her, and she was convinced of the fallacy of their

thinking, she turned against both her dead father (whom she now

considered "das bbse Prinzip" [XI, 324] in her life ) and her

faithless husband:

I h n [Pivardiere] sah sie fur den an, der bestimmt gewesen, das zu vollenden, was der Vater begonnen, namlich ihr LebensglUck zu zerstbren. Sie vergass, dass as nur ihr eigner verkehrter Sinn gewesen, der sie dem Marquis in die Arme fUhrte. (XI, 327)

Yet her erroneous thinking had been instilled in her by her father, who had carefully discouraged every suitable prospective suitor from

approaching the g ir l, thereby laying the groundwork for her unhappy

lif e .

The well-meaning bungler with the most far-flung results is

the fairy Rosabelverde ("Zaches"), whom von Schenck considers to be a personification of hypnotism (p. 117). Indeed, her spell had a hypnotic effect on an entire town, throwing the lives of its inhabi­

tants into an uproar. In the process, the usually popular "Stifts- fraulein" inadvertantly succeeded in causing innocent people to suffer (Balthasar, Candida, Pulcher, Sbiocca), attracting a great deal of negative thinking on the part of the wronged toward h e rse lf, although most of them did not know that it was she who was at the source of their problems. Thus Pulcher blamed "a hellish power"

("Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 178), Prosper Alpanus "a secret magic force" (III, 195), Balthasar "the inimical force" (III, 173) and

"the dark force" (III, 218), and it was generally thought that a 203 form of w itchcraft was afoot ( I I I , 172, 186, 232), suggesting that a fairy is really not so far removed from a witch. After her defeat by Prosper Alpanus, Rosabelverde realized that her experiment in trying to help Klein Zaches had been a mistake:

Armer Zaches l--Stiefkind der Natur Ir-ich hatt' es gut mit dir gemeint 1—Wohl mocht' es Torheit sein, dass ich glaubte, die aussere schone Gabe, womit ich dich beschenkt, wUrde hineinstrahlen in dein Inneres. . . . ("Zaches," Pi chtungen. I I I , 248)

Rosabelverde had attempted to rise above the will of Nature, who did not intend that Zaches be intelligent, handsome, and talented, and she was punished by fa ilu re . Her powers, which she meant to use for doing good, turned her into an inimical force for deserving people and did not really help the one she intended to favor.

Even Meister Abraham (Murr) was guilty of manipulation in his unsuccessful attempts to gain favor for Kreisler at FUrstin Maria's birthday celebration, as Kreisler accused him:

Hal rief Kreisler, indem er, zehrendes Feuer im Blick, auf- sprang, ha, Meister I ist dir die Macht gegeben, mit mir freches, hohnendes Spiel zu treiben?--Bist du das Verhangnis selbst, dass du mein Inneres erfassen magst? (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 20)

Rosebelverde's well-meant gift to Klein Zaches has a parallel in the magic microscope which Meister Floh provided for Balthasar, by means of which the thoughts of others could be read. The ambivalent nature of this instrument was eventually recognized by Balthasar, who voluntarily gave it up: "... doch nun erst ging es ihm auch deutlich auf, dass Meister Flohs verhangnisvolles Geschenk, habe er es selbst auch gut gemeint, doch in jedem Betracht ein Ge­ schenk sei, das der Hoi le angehore" ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 630), Similarly: "Nein I Frevel, ruchloser Frevel ist es, sich wie jener gefallene Engel des Lichts, der die SUnde Uber die Welt brachte, gleich stellen zu wollen der ewigen Macht, die das Innere des Menschen durchschaut, weil sie es beherrscht" ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 63 I). 20k

But Meister Abraham had already realized his error:

Nun in der S tille der Nacht kam der Gedanke, was fur ein Spiel ich unternommen, wie ich gewaltsam den Knoten, den das dunkle Verhaltnis geschlungen, zerreissen wollen, aus meinem Innern herausgetreten, fremdartig, in anderer Ge- staltung auf mich los, und indem mich kalte Schauer durch- bebten, war ich es selbst, vor dem ich mich entsetzen musste. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 29)

As a final example, old Baron Roderich 's plans ("Majorat")

for his descendents could not rise above the negative aspects of

human nature and fell apart almost immediately upon the old man's

death:

Armer alter, kurzsichtiger Roderich I welche bose Macht beschworst du herauf, die den Stamm, den du mit fester Wurzel fur die Ewigkeit zu pflanzen gedachtest, im ersten Aufkeimen zum Tode vergiftete, ("M ajo ratDichtungen, I I , 162)

The Unselfish Manipulators

Under certain circumstances, personal elevation and manipu­

lation may have positive aspects, but the element of pride must be completely lacking. Thus the mystic overview of a deeply religious

person who strives toward union with the beneficent forces of 18 Heaven is not considered punishable, nor is manipulation which

is undertaken for aesthetic purposes,

Elixiere, PW II, 24: ", . , die im weitlichen Treiben Befangenen , , , mussten . , , eingestehen , , , dass v ielle ic h t der Geist, je mehr er sich Uber das Irdische erhebe, dem Menschen schon hienieden ein hoheres Sein bereiten konne," Cf, also Elixiere, PW II, 119: "In der Tat ist janes Frauenzimmer, die das Portrat ge- treulich darstellt, eine fromme Heilige, die im Kampfe sich zum Himmlischen erhebt. Ich habe sie gemalt, als s ie , von dem entsetz- lichsten Jammer ergriffen, doch in der Religion Trost und von dem ewigen Verhangnis, das Uber den Wolken thront, Hilfe hoffte; und den Ausdruck dieser Hoffnung, die nur in dem GemUt wohnen kann, das sich Uber das Irdische hoch erhebt, habe ich dem Bilde zu geben gesucht," 205

Three instances of the first type occur in Elixiere. Aurelie, fatally wounded immediately after taking her vows, was able to under­ stand the truth with a clarity normally granted only to spirits be- 19 yond the earthly life;

"Was klagest du Uber d ie, welche von der ewigen Macht des Himmels gewUrdigt wurde, von der Erde zu scheiden in dem Augenblick, als sie die Nichtigkeit allés Irdischen er- kannt, als die unendliche Sehnsucht nach dem Reich der ewigen Freude und Seligkeit ihre Brust erfUl1te?"--Ich war aufgestanden, ich war dicht an die Bahre getreten. "Aurelie," sprach ich,--"heilige Jungfrau I Nur einen einzigen Augenblick senke deinen Blick herab aus den hohen Regionen, sonst muss ich vergehen, in . . . Zweifeln," (Elixiere, PW II, 356 f.)

In her last moments Aurelie was able to convey to Medardus so plainly the true meaning of their relatio n sh ip that he shared with her at least a part of this overview, free from selfish motivation:

Diese Gedanken erhoben mich Uber mein irdisches Selbst, und so waren wohl jene Tage im Zisterzienserkloster die wahrhaft seligsten meines Lebens, (Elixiere, PW II, 36 I )

This selfless overview permitted him to write objectively the auto­ biography the Prior requested, as has been mentioned above.

The old painter, too, had attained a state of elevation;

Ich stand vor ihm [his son] wie das Strafgericht des Herrn, denn sein Innerstes lag vor mir offan und klar, und was der Welt verborgen, das sagte mir der G eist, der machtig und machtiger wird in mir und mich emporhebt Uber den brausenden Weilen des Lebens, dass ich hinabzuschauen vermag in die Tiefe, ohne dass dieser Blick mich hinabzieht, (PW II, 3OO f ,)

19 "Don Juan," Pi chtungen, I , 153: "Don Juan ladet den erstochenen Alten hohnend im Bilde ein zum lustigen Gastmahl, und der verklarte Geist, nun erst den gefallnen Menschen durchschauend und sich um ihn betrUbend, verschmaht es nicht in furchtbarer Gestalt ihn zur Busse zu erraahnen." 206

In the personality of the old painter, the spirit for good had overcome the evil demon w ithin, and the world no longer tempted

him to take part in its activities, except to try to warn his

descendents. His elevation was less perfect than Aurelie’s, how­

ever, for his penance was not yet complete:

Die ewige Macht des Himmels hatte es mir vergonnt, dass als der Prinz mit Francesko . . , nach der Residenzstadt des fUrstlichen Bruders zu gehen gedachte, ich zu ihnen treten und mitziehen durfte. Mit kraftigem Arm wollte ich den schwachen Francesko erfassen, wenn er sich dem Abgrunde nahte. . . . Tdrichtes Beginnen des ohnmachtigen Sunders, der noch nicht Gnade gefunden vor dem Throne des HerrnI (PW II, 306 )

Thus his attempts at manipulating the still living failed, while the words of the completely purified Aurelie succeeded in redeeming

Medardus.

Among those manipulators who furthered the cause of the arts are Celionati ("Brambi11 a"), Salvator Rosa ("Signor Formica"), and

Prosper Alpanus ("Zaches"). All three had double personalities, which they kept more or less separate, so that the general public was quite unaware that the charlatan Celionati was also FLirst

Bastianello di Pistoja, the painter Salvator Rosa was not associated with the satirical actor Signor Formica, and opinion was sharply divided as to whether Prosper Alpanus was an eccentric physician or a magician. All three possess a superhuman aspect--Celionati in his mysterious friendship with the ageless magician Ruffiamonte,

Prosper Alpanus' clearly magical abilities, and Rosa, the only one of the three who appears in a re a lis tic work, appeared superhuman 207 to different people in different ways. Thus Antonio praised his work;

Es ist die oft UbermenschIiche Grosse der Gedanken, die ich in Euren Werken anstaune. Ihr erfasst die tiefsten Geheimnisse der Natur . . . Ihr vernehmt ihre heilige Stimme, Ihr versteht ihre Sprache und habt die Macht, es aufzuschreiben, was«sie zu Euch gesprochen. ("Formica," Dichtungen, V III, 256 )

The Roman public, unable to appreciate Rosa's talent as a painter and poet, placed him upon a pedestal as Signor Formica:

Oh Formica'.--Formica benedetto l--Oh Formicissimo'.--Man betrachtete den Formica als eine Uberirdische Erscheinung, und manche alte Frau, die im Theater sich vor Lachen aus- geschUttet, wurde, wagte ja einer nur das mindeste zu tadeln an Formicas Spiel, plotzlich ernsthaft und sprach feierlich; Scherza coi fanti e lascia star i santi I [Scherze mit den Toren, und lasse die Heiligen in Ruhe.] (VIII, 298)

The reputations of the three men among the people they manipulated vacillated sharply; thus Giglio was never certain whether

Celionati was an eccentric friend ("Brambi11 a," Dichtungen, III,

301) or a madman who intended to harm him ( I I I , 363 ), but only recognized for certain the fact that he was being manipulated, and resented it:

"Ihr seid ein fUrchterlicher graulicher Mensch I—Was dringt Ihr ein in mein Leben? was wolIt Ihr Euch meines Seins bemachtigen?—Ihr prahlt mit einer A1Iwissenheit, die Euch vielleicht wenig Miihe kostet. . . . Ich bin mUndig," sprach G iglio, "und b itte Euch, mein Herr C iarlatano, mich getrost mir selb st zu Uberlassen." ("Brambi1 la," Dichtungen, III, 3IO f.)

While Balthasar usually trusted in Alpanus as "the beneficent magician who would put an end to Zinnober's vile, detestable spell"

20 Cf. Underhill's statement that art must not just mirror life, but must "catch and translate for us something of . . . the transcendental . . . world. . . ." (p. 74). 208

("Klein Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 191), at times he, too, lost his fa ith :

Wahnsinn, dass ich auf Rettung hoffte von Prosper Alpanus . . . der mich selbst mit hollischen Kunsten verlockt. . . . ("Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 218)

Only Rosa enjoyed the unwavering affection of his protege

Antonio because the bonds of friendship transcended every other facet of their relatio n sh ip . However, Capuzzi hated Rosa until he discovered that Rosa and Formica were the same and realized that

Formica had shown him the truth and prevented his making a grave error in separating the lovers.

In a sense, Aurelie, the old painter, Celionati, Alpanus, and Rosa play the same role, that of a creature with supernatural connections, operating on a higher plane, be it mystical or aes­ thetic, and acting the part of a savior or saint to aid a worthy person still struggling against his tribulations below. Again

Hoffmann has modified a traditional concept--here a Christian-

Roman Catholic one--into forms that fit the situations he wished to depict. Schelling considered art and religion "sinnig verbunden" and stressed the importance of the artist as a teaching intermediary 21 between God/Nature and man, as did the mystics:

He [the artist] is the mediator between his brethren and the divine, for art is the link between appearance [the sensual world] and reality [the transcendental world]. (Underhi11, p. 74)

21 Schelling, "Vierzehnte \/orlesung," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 374. 209

Hoffmann, too, considered his a r tis ts to be worthy interm ediaries whose inherent understanding of the divine marked them as favorites of Nature and placed them beyond punishment for their elevated status. Thus in "Brambi11 a" Hoffmann describes his own audacity in opening for the reader the wonderful upper regions of the world of poesy:

. . .und du wirst, sehr geliebter Leser, diesen Mut kaum flir Übermut, sondern nur fur das verzeihliche Streben ha 1 ten konnen, dich aus dem engen Kreise gewohnlicher All- taglichkeit zu verlocken und dich in fremdem Gebiet, das am Ende doch eingehegt ist in das Reich, welches der menschliche Geist im wahren Leben und Sein nach fre ie r WillkUr beherrscht, auf ganz eigne Wei se zu vergnUgen. (Dichtungen, I I I , 291)

In summary, Hoffmann's concept of personal elevation covers a broad spectrum, ranging from the demonic, self-seeking, egocentric elevation of Euphemie and Alban on one end, to the divine, s e lfle s s , altruistic transcendentalism of Aurelie and Salvator Rosa on the other. The s e lfish manipulators want to g e t; the unselfish manipu­ lators want to give. The former strive by intellectual means to retain and expand their own personalities, ruthlessly destroying others in the process, while the latter are motivated by love, 22 gladly sacrificing their individuality if necessary to help others.

Between the two poles lie the bunglers, those ordinary people, neither demonic nor divine, whose motivation may be noble, but whose self-w ill

22 Aurelie gave up her individuality through death and the absorption of her personality into that of St. Rosalia; Alpanus de­ parted for Famagusta, another Atlantis; Rosa and Celionati each separated his personality into two diversified characters in order to be able to work on two separate planes. 210 is still too strong and whose insistence on maintaining their individuality is too great to be really unselfish in their actions.

As a rule, the selfish manipulators unless they are true demons, sooner or later stand to be punished, the bunglers are eventually enlightened, and the unselfish manipulators—the aesthetes and mystics--are crowned with success. CHAPTER Ml

THE THEME OF REDEMPTION

As has been stressed in the preceding chapters, succumbing to the inimical force is not inevitable,^ but the result of some weakness or error on the part of the victim. Even those prospective victims who have become enmeshed with some aspect of the inimical force are often able to extricate themselves,once they recognize the truth about their situation, by following one or more of a rather limited number of possible avenues of escape, most of which are fairly closely related.

Aurelie (Elixiere) sums up the possibilities for redemption, upon which she had relied from her childhood:

Nur unbegrenzte Zuversicht, sagte endlich der Gaistliche, nur unwandelbares Vertrauen, nicht wowohl zu befreundeten Menschen, als zur Religion und ibren Dienern, konne Rettung bringen. (E lix ie re , PW I I , 251)

In addition to the escape into death or insanity, the latter of which has been mentioned particularly in connection with Serapion and

^ Cf. Harich, Dichtungen, VI, v i i i , ixj and von Schaukal, pp. 212 f. 2 The possibility of salvation through the help of people or God was accepted by Schelling also. Cf. "Menschliche Freiheit," Werke, Hauptband IV, 281

211 212

Ansel mus, Aurelie's possibilities, with slight variations, are those used consistently by Hoffmann in works dealing with redemption from the inimical force. They may be divided into categories as follows: (1) Divine intervention; (2) Help of a friend, who may be a beloved person, a family member, an acquaintance, or even a bene­ volent stranger; and (3) Constancy of belief, not always in a

Christian sense. The element of pure, unselfish love^ is basic to all possibilities for redemption, and the theme of salvation through the love of a pure woman (a variation on the "friend" possibility) occurs frequently enough to warrant special mention, and i t , in tu rn , overlaps with the redeeming quality of music, as will be shown.

Recognition of truth and acceptance of the appropriate, which have been discussed previously, are seldom lacking in Hoffmann's treatment of the theme of redemption, and when they are violated, the effort at redemption does not succeed. Thus Nathanael ("Sandmann") could not be rescued ultimately by his friend Siegmund in spite of the letter's efforts,^ for Nathanael was not able to see the truth

^ Cf, Schubert, Traum, pp, 196 f, L S ch ellin g ,'Philosophie und Religion," Werke, Hauptband IV, 4$ f , Schelling equates virtue with bliss and impropriety with un­ happiness, According to him, truth, beauty, bliss and propriety ("Sittlichkeit") are eternal attributes of God,

^ "'Behiite dich Gott, Herr Bruder,' sagte Siegmund sehr sa n ft, beinahe wehmUtig, 'aber mir scheint e s , du se ist auf bosem Wege. , , , Auf mich kannst du rechnen, wenn a llé s —Nein, ich mag nichts weiter sagen("Sandm ann," Dichtungen, VI, 88f ,) 213 regarding Olimpia as it was presented to him by Siegmund and mistakenly credited the letter's faithful care to Clara, who had had nothing to do with his recovery:

Bei Gott, Bruder I ich war auf schlimmem Wege, aber zu rechter Zeit le ite te mich ein Engel auf den lichten Pfad L-- Ach, es war ja Clara I ("Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 95)

Of course this was not true, and when Clara had attempted earlier to help him overcome his fear of Coppola/Coppelius, he had refused to take her seriously. Sim ilarly Erasmus ("SiIvester-Nacht") refused to accept Friedrich's advice regarding Giulietta, Eugenius ("Datura") ignored Sever's warnings concerning Fermino and Gabriel la , and the reproaches of the old p ain ter, the p rio r, and Medardus' dead mother were not accepted by Medardus (Elixiere)—unti1 the three young men had discovered the tru th for themselves and had accepted the necessity for directing their affections into different and accept­ able channels.

The Redemptive Power of Pure Love

The importance of the element of perfect love, which binds the mortal with the Eternal, is expressed especially strongly in Elixiere and "Topf":

. . . jetzt erst, nachdem sie der Erde voiler Q,ual entrUckt, wurde sie mir der reine Strahl der ewigen Liebe, der in meiner Brust aufglUhte. Ja I Aureliens Tod war das Weihfest jener Liebe, die wie Aurelie sprach, nur Uber den Sternen thront und nichts gemein hat mit dem Irdischen. (E lix iere, PW I I , 316)

. . . ich weiss doch, dass der Gedanke in mir ewig i s t , und kein feindliches Prinzip kann ihn vernichtenj aber ist der Gedanke denn was anders, als Serpentinas Liebe? ("Topf," Dichtungen, III, 61) 214

However, less ethereal creatures than Aurelie and Serpentina may

also act as "Angels of Light" whose love has redeeming qualities.

Among those ordinary girls described as "Angels of Light" or in

similar terms, and whose love did help to save their sweethearts from some inimical fate or bring them bliss, if only on earth, are

Gretchen ("Datura),^ Marianna ("Formica"),^ Roschen Lammerhirt

("Floh")Angelika ("Gast"),^ Annunziata ("D oge")and Madelon

("Scuderi").^* Other human angels who were not so successful are

Seraphine ("M ajorat"),Clara ("Sandmann"),Angiola

^ "Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 296: "Sever tra t hinein und sprach . . . 'Eugenius, du hast den Engel des Lichts gefunden, der dir den Frieden deiner Seele wiedergeben wird, und selig wirst du sein hinieden und dort,'"

^ "Formica," Dichtungen, VIII, 271.

^ "Floh," Dichtungen, III, 624: ". . . erst in dem Augenblick, da er L'ammerhirts Roschen, das holde liebe Engelskind erblickte, [loderte] die wahre himmlische Liebe hell [auf] in seiner Brust."

^ "Gast," Dichtungen, VI, 143.

"Doge," Dichtungen, X, I38, 153.

"Scuderi," Dichtungen, II, 201, 219, 246, 248.

"Majorat," Dichtungen, II, 78 : "... die Baronesse wurde der Engel des Lichts, dem sich die bosen gespenstischen Machte beugen."

"Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 95. 215

("Jesuiterkirche"),*^ Ulla ("Falun")^ Angela ("SpielerglUck"),*^ 17 18 Angela Benzoni (Murr), and Julia Benzon (Murr) , whose angelic

nature^^ was recognized by Meister Abraham (Murr, Dichtungen, V,

486) and Prince Hektor (V, 262, 398) as well as by K reisler, upon

whom she had an effect suggesting a mystic relationship. The

recollection of a dream in which Julia appeared as an angel fig u re,

singing his music inspired in Kreisler an "ecstasy," recognized by

the abbot as "the upper Region into which you ascended" (\/, 348),

although he could not guess the exact cause of this ecstatic state.

For Kreisler, Julia possessed the same characteristics as music, which was for him (as for Hoffmann) the perfect means of temporary

escape from the mundane into the elevated realms of aesthetic ex­

pression, and which he conceived as having the form of an angel:

Nur einen Engel des Lichts gibt es, der Macht hat Uber den bosen Damon. Es ist der Geist der Tonkunst, der oft aus

"Jesuiterkirche," Dichtungen, VIII, 69.

"Falun," Dichtungen, IX, 199.

"SpielerqlUck," Dichtungen, XI, 86,

Murr, Dichtungen, V, 518 f.

Murr, Dichtungen, V, 8 3, 256, 348, 1 g The names selected by Hoffmann for these "human angels" frequently have heavenly connotations, the most popular being variations of Angela, Seraphine is equally angelic, Marianna is close to the name of the Virgin, Annunziata brings to mind the angel's annunciation to the Virgin, Roschen Lammerhirt's last name suggests the Good Shepherd, while Gretchen cannot fail to remind the reader of Goethe's redemptive heroine. 216

mir selbst sich siegreich erhebt und vor dessen machtigen Stimme a lle Schmerzen irdischer Bedrangnis verstummen, (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 87 )

Eventually the concepts "Music" and "Julia" became one in K reisler's

mind, which state of affairs he ironically recognized when he mused

about whether "es moglich sei, dass ein Ton dunkelblaue Augen haben

konne?" (V, 312), The redemptive a b ility of music and the sin^er

to elevate the spirit is stressed also in "Ombra adorata," where the

singer is compared to "a heavenly light";

Es war sehr zart gehalten und schien in einfachen, aber tief in das Innerste dringenden Tonen von der Sehnsucht zu reden, in der sich das fromme GemUt zum Himmel auf- schwingt und allés Geliebte wiederfindet, was ihm hienieden entrissen. . . . Allés war vergessen, und ich horchte nur entzUckt auf die Tone, d ie, wie aus einer andern Welt nieder^Çeigend, mich trostend umfingen. (Dichtungen, I, 24 f .) ^ '

Divine Intervention

Related to the redeeming love of angelic human women is the redemptive power of Heaven itself, which is occasionally credited with the salvation of one caught in the trap of error or e v il. In contrast to the inimical force, whose direct representatives appear frequently in Hoffmann's works, direct representatives of the beneficent force such as angels, saints, and figures suggesting Mary

20 Julia experienced a similar reaction when performing Kreisler's music, which she considered "Himmelstone"; "In der Tat fUhlte sie sich bald getrostet, erheitert, der Gesang trug sie fort in eine andere Welt, es gab keinen Prinzen, ja keine Hedwiga mehr, deren krankhafte Phantome sie verstoren durften Î' (Murr, Di chtungen, V, 397), 21 Cf. the following passage from "Sanctus," Dichtungen, VIII, 94; "Ich merkte wohl, dass der Geist des Herrn mit milder trostender Stimme im Gesange zu ihr gesprochen, und dass sich ihre Brust offnen wurde seiner Gnade, . . ," 217 or Christ appear scarcely at all. The few exceptions are the fairy­ like stranger child ("Das fremde Kind"), who displays c h a ra c te ristic s 22 that suggest the Christ Child or an angel, the little boy and his father who appear during Medardus* childhood (Elixiere) and who re­ semble the Christ Child and Joseph, and finally in the same work, St,

Rosalia, who appeared to the painter in a vision. However, only the last is given any intercessional power. The stranger child can only warn the children against the evil gnome Pepser without the strength to conquer him, while the Christ Child and Joseph function solely in the capacity of guides during Medardus* earliest childhood and do not appear again later in the story. Thus the beneficent force in

Hoffmann*s works is le ft to operate on a far less concrete plane than the inimical force, whose representatives take an active part in the lives of their prospective victims.

The possibility of the intervention of Heaven in a redeeming capacity is explained to Eugenius by Sever in "Datura fastuosa":

Bei den sanften Vorstellungsn, wie es eben der irdische Erbteil des Menschen sei, dass er oft nicht widerstehen konne der bosen Verlockung, wie aber oft der Himmel ihn errette auf wunderbare Wei se, und dass in dieser Rettung eben SUhne und Trost zu finden, erweichte sich der in Verzweiflung erstarrte Sinn des Jünglings. ("Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 293)

Even before Sever convinced Eugenius not to take revenge upon Fermino and Gabriel la, Eugenius had recognized the truth of his situation

22 Like Angels, the child's gender is apparently neuter, while its mother is a kind of queen of Heaven, suggesting the Virgin Mary. In its final appearance to the children, the child is surrounded by a blindingly bright light. 218 and credited God with preventing the death of the Professorin, as

Eugenius had planned; "... gerechter Gott, du hast Erbarmen mit dem Verworfenen Ï' (Dichtungen, IX, 291), and at the end of the story, the Professorin, too, was convinced that God had had a direct part in saving Eugenius from the inimical trap set by Fermino; "Aus der

Nolle hat Sie der Herr des Lichts errettet'* (IX, 293). In Eugenius' case, the combination of recognition of truth, the unselfish love of the angelic Gretchen, the help of his friend Sever, and divine intervention could not fail to save Eugenius from the clutches of the inimical force.

An almost classical instance of the deus ex machina occurs in the work "Ignaz Denner" in the form of the merchant who appeared at the last moment to save Andres from the noose;

Der Zufall oder vielmehr eine besondere Schickung des Himmels wollte, dass er gerade in dem entscheidensten Augenblick auf dem Richtplatz ankam. . . , ("Denner," Dichtungen, IX, 111)

Although the mention of "chance" before "a special providence of

Heaven" weakens the statement considerably as a positive expression of divine intervention, the verb "wollte," which indicates an active will quite inappropriate to the idea of simple chance or accident, serves to strengthen it. Later even Danner admitted that "divine providence had saved Andres from death" (IX, 121) and the pious

Andres considered himself "chosen by God" (IX, I 30) to save his child by killing Denner, 219

Another case of divine redemption occurs in "SpielerglUck," where Chevalier Menars plays the role of a rather unlikely messenger of the Divine:

Der Baron erkannte die Warnung des Himmels, der ihm, als er eben sich dem Abgrund naherte, den Chevalier Menars in den Weg fUhrte zu seiner Rettung, und gelobte, alien Uerlockungen des tauschenden Spielergliicks zu widerstehen. (Dichtungen, XI, lOO)

Direct divine intervention occurs, according to the mother of Angela in "Gast" when S—i's death released Angela from her mental slavery to him:

. . . nichts mehr von dem finstern unbekannten Reich, wo das Grauen wohnt und das Entsetzen l--Dank der ewigen Macht des Himmels, die mein liebes Herzenskind g e re tte t. . . . (Dichtungen, VI, 154)

For Olivier Brussont, the idea of appealing to Mademoiselle de Scuderi for help represented a message from Heaven:

Mein ganzes Wesen war Entzücken, denn der Himmel selbst zeigte mir durch den frevelichen Cardillac den Weg, mich zu retten aus der Hoi le, in der ich, ein verstossener Sunder, schmachte. ("Scuderi," Dichtungen, II, 234)

Medardus' horror at Auralie's violent death changed into the conviction that she had been rescued by Heaven in a very special way:

, . . aber wie bald erkannte ich, dass die Gunst der ewigen Macht sie das Hochste bestehen liess I—Das Mar­ tyrium der gepriiften, entsUndigten Christusbraut I (Elixiere, PW II, 361)

Although "the eternal force" is not modified by "of Heaven," the context of the passage leaves no doubt that it is the traditional force of God which is meant.

As a final example of divine interference in human affairs, the humorous situation in "Formica" suggests that Heaven sometimes 220

attains a double result from a single interventional act, aiding

the lovers while thwarting the foolish Capuzzi:

Der Himmel, der sich oft der sonderbarsten Werkzeuge bedient, urn die Narren zu zUchtigen, schlug sich aber zugunsten des bedrangten Liebespaars ins Mittel und regierte den Michele, dass er seiner Tolpelei Raum gab und dadurch bewirkte, was Salvators und Antonios Kunst nicht zu err ingen vermochte, ("Formica," Dichtungen, VIII, 318)

As was pointed out in detail above with regard to "Datura," the

intervention of Heaven is seldom the sole means of salvation, but

works in combination with other factors to attain final success.

The Help of a Friend

More common than the direct intervention of Heaven is the

help of a friend as the decisive factor in saving a person from

the inimical force. This emphasis is not surprising, considering

the importance of the role of friendship in Hoffmann's life. His

loyalty and devotion to his friends Hampe, Hitzig, Leo, Devrient,

Fouqué^and the re st of the Serapionsbriider, and especially to

Hippel were unusually strong. The redeeming friend in his works

may be the angelic woman mentioned above or the clear-thinking

observer, such as Sever ("Datura"), Paul Talkebarth ("Elementargeist"),

and Jonathan Engelbrecht ("Wacht"), discussed in detail in a previous

section, and indeed this redemptive role is the chief function per­

formed by these two types of characters, as well as that of a th ird

important group of characters found in Hoffmann's works--the wise mentors such as Prosper Alpanus ("Zaches"), Lindhorst ("Topf"),

Mademoiselle de Scuderi, the old painter (Elixiere), and even 221

Meister Floh, who usually have some element of the supernatural about them. In addition, friends occur who cannot be categorized, for they display a variety of idiosyncratic characteristics. Thus

George Pepusch, who was really a reincarnated thistle, saved his friend Peregrinus Tyss from the brink of insanity by insisting that the latter face reality;

Aber es ist gewiss, dass sein weiches, zum Trubsinn ge- neigtes GemUt den Stoss nicht ertragen konnte, den ihm der Tod der El tern versetzte, und dass er Trost in einem Treiben suchte, das an Wahnsinn grenzt. Er ist verloren, wenn ich ihn nicht rette. ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 532)

The Greek princess in "Geheimnisse" was saved "from the edge of the abyss" (Dichtungen, XI, 299), i.e. marriage to the foolish Baron

Theodor whom she had mistaken for a Greek prince, by her nurse

Aponomeria, who escaped from SchnUspelpold's enchantment of her into a parrot just in time to enlighten the princess regarding Baron

Theodor's true identity:

. . . vernichtet ist der hollische Zauber des schwarzen Damons [SchnUspelpold]—er liegt in schmachvol len Banden, du bist frei, hohe Furstin. . . . (Dichtungen, XI, 299)

Through a combination of friendship and the redeeming power of music, the pious Wolfframb von Eschinbach was able to rescue Mathilda and Heinrich chiefly by means of his inspired songs:

So war es dolfframbs von Eschinbach hohe, dem reichsten GemUt entstromende Kunst des Gesanges, die im glorreichen Siege Uber den Feind die Geliebte rettete und den Freund vom boslichen Verderben. ("Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 117)

In a humorous variation of this same theme, the student

Amandus von Nebelstern unwittingly rescued his former fiancee Annchen 222 von Zabelthau from the demonic Daucus Carota, not through music, but by reciting his own wretched poetry;

Laut kreischte Daucus Carota auf, schlUpfte, zum kleinen kleinen MohrrUbchen geworden, herab von Annchens Schoss und in die Erde hinein, so dass er in einem Moment spurl os verschwunden, (*'Konigsbraut Dichtungen, VII, 309); and Annchen returned the favor, just as unwittingly, by curing

Amandus of his delusions of poetic talent by hitting him on the head with a spade.

An unusual approach to salvation through a friend is touched upon three times in Elixiere. It is the idea of the possibility of salvation's being generated by the thought, the presence, or the voice of a friend, with or without that friend's conscious inten­ tio n . In the f ir s t instance, Belcampo (lik e Clara in "Sandmann") maintained that the seat of the inimical force was within the victim himself. However, unlike Clara, he realized that the victim could not always dispatch this inner enemy by himself:

Zuletzt e rg riff er das Messer, welches ich [Medardus] beim Umkleiden auf den Tisch gelegt, und stach damit, in- dem er eine Fechterstellung annahm, in die Luft hinein. "Ich tote ihren Widersacher," rief er, "und da er eine blosse Idee i s t , muss er getotet warden konnen durch eine Idee und erstirbt demnach an dieser, der meinigen, die ich, um die Expression zu verstarken, mit schicklichen Leibes- bewegungen b eg leite. Apage Satanas. . . . Nun das ware getan", sagte er. . . . (Elixiere, PW II, 124)

Although Belcampo's efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, Medardus later made an effort to instigate a similar situation, in the hope that the s is te r of the abbess would be able to a tta in the deliverance for Medardus toward which Belcampo had striv en :

Unwiderstehlich zog es mich fort nach der Residenz. Die Schwester meiner Pflegemutter . , . soil te mich wieder 223

zurückführen in das frottime schuldlose Leben, wie es ehemals mir blUhte, denn dazu bedurfte es in meiner jetzigen Stimmung nur ihres Anblicks und der dadurch erweckten Erinnerungen, (Elixiere , PW II, 14/)

Again the aid of another is needed to "k ill the enemy." Here the

helper apparently needed do nothing but appear to generate the

saving idea, but again the experiment failed. When the attempt

finally succeeded, it came about completely unintentionally and

unexpectedly at Aurelie's investiture;

Als ich ihre Stimme horte, war es al s brache milder Mondes- glanz durch die schwarzen, von wildem Sturm gejagten Wetter- wolken, Licht wurde es in mir, und ich erkannte den bosen Geist, dem ich mit a lle r Gewalt wider stand. . . . Ihr GelUbde war mein T rost, meine Hoffnung, und hell ging in mir die Heiterkeit des Himmels auf. (Elixiere, PW II, 3$4)

Constancy of Belief

Even if the quotation "Quod deus bene vertat" which appears

so frequently in Hoffmann's diaries that Erne'^ refers to it as "almost a kind of heraldic motto for Hoffmann" (p. 869 ) does not stamp

Hoffmann "an incurable Optimist" as Erne'considers him to be (p. 13),

it does indicate at least a certain amount of faith on Hoffmann's

part in the power of positive thinking, which is stressed repeatedly

in a number of works in the form of statements such as the following:

"Lass uns", so schloss Dagobert, "allem verstorenden Wesen mit festem GemUt, mit unwandelbarem Vertrauen auf das Leben begegnen, Keine finstere Macht wird das Haupt beugen, was sich kraftig und mit heiterm Mut emporhebt J' ("Gast," Dichtungen, VI, 122)

Peregrinus I mogen auch finstre Geister Uber dich beschlossen haben, was sie wollen, ihre Macht scheitert gebrochen an deinem frommen Wesen, das fest und stark is t in Liebe und unwandelbarer Treue. 224

Was soil, was kann eine Liebe verstoren wie die unsrigej verbanne jeden Zweifel, unsre Liebe ist der Talisman, vor dem die machtigen Gestalten fliehen, ("Floh," Dichtungen, I I I , 628)

"0, ich habe es ja gewusst, dass Ihr, Ihr allein mir den Gatten retten wUrdet," rie f Madelon. "Ach, der Glaube an Euch, meine Mutter, stand ja fest in meiner Seele", rie f Olivier. , . . ("Scuderi," Dichtungen,II, 252)

"Des Menschen Herz ist ein Wunderliches Ding, aber der wahre fromme Glaube Uberwindet wohl die schnode, ja sUnd- liche Tapferkeit eines verharteten Gemlits, und a llé s wendet sich, wie der liebe Gott es will, zum Guten." ("Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 335)

Trage Gott im Herzen, gedenke des Heils deiner Seele, und du wirst den Lockungen des Satans widerstehenl ("Elementar­ geist," Dichtungen, VI, 251)

As the above quotations show, the objects of constancy vary con­ siderably from faith in life and oneself in "Gast" through faith in

love and loyalty in a beloved person ("Floh" and "Scuderi"; also in

"Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 191), to faith in God, the traditionally accepted source of salvation ("Wacht" and "Elem entargeist"), and the one most frequently mentioned sp ecifically by Hoffmann. The saving power of a strong faith in God is stressed especially in the Kreisler portion of Kater Murr in Julia's convictions (Dichtungen, V, 243, 397), in "Ignaz Denner" throughout the sto ry , and in Elixiere throughout the story and particularly in Cyril lus' advice to Medardus (PW II,

32, 33, 35); but it also plays a role in "Kampf der Sanger" (Dichtungen,

X, 101, 105), "Majorat" (Dichtungen, II, 74), and "Brautwahl"

(Dichtungen, VII, I 58). A faithful devotion similar to that of a pious Christian is called for by the stranger child:

Behaitet mich nur treu im Herzen, wie ihr es bis jetzt getan, dann vermag der bose Pepser und kein anderer 225

Widersacher etwas liber eu ch l--lieb t mich nur s te ts recht treulichl ("K in d Dichtungen, VIII, 140), while personal courage and determination are recommended by

Balthasar in "Zaches" and Bickert in "Magnétiseur" to overcome

Satanic forces:

. , . ist irgend ein hollischer Zauber im Spiele, so kommt es nur darauf an, ihm mit festem Sinn entgegen zu treten, der Si eg ist gewiss wenn nur der Mut vorhanden, ("Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 178)

Hab' ich mich denn nicht tro tz dem h. Antonius mit drei- tausend Teufein herumgebalgt und mich ebenso tapfer ge- halten?—Sieht man dem Volke keck ins Auge, so verdunstet es von selbst in Staub und Rauch. ("Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 54)

Meister Abraham, perhaps Hoffmann's most sympathetic and personal character, recognized the value of religious faith, but did not overlook the practical necessity of helping oneself as well when he advised Julia and offered his own aid:

Du bist, sagte der Meister Julien leise ins Ohr, du bist ein frommer Engel, und darum hat der finstre Hollengeist der SUnde keine Macht Uber dich, Vertraue dich mir ganzj fUrchte nichts und fasse dich mit aller Kraft des Geistes.

Was hast du von bedrohlichen Anschlagen zu fUrchten, wenn Standhaftigkeit, Liebe und Mut dich schUtzen vor den Bosen, die dir nachstellen. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 486, 488)

Unfortunately, Julia chose to disregard Meister Abraham's advice and 23 took, instead, that of her mother and Kreisler, whose words,

23 "Nein, sagte Kreisler, kein feindlicher Misston soli den Wohllaut des Himmels verstoren, der in deinem GemUt wohnt, du frommes Kindi—in gleisnerischer Verkappung gehen die Geister der Hoi le durch die Welt, aber sie haben keine Macht Uber dich, und du darfst sie nicht erkennen in ihrem schwarzen Tun und Treiben I" (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 263 f .)

"Die Benzon , . . schloss Julien in die Arme, kUsste sie auf die Stirn und sagte: Du bist mein gutes, liebes Kind und wirst immer das sein. 226

although rising from motives diametrically opposed, still amounted

to the same thing: the disregarding of anything unpleasant or evil,

thus shutting out a part of reality and truth--always a dangerous

procedure. Thus, in this realistic and deeply personal story,

Hoffmann showed that faith in the Divine and the concern of friends were apparently not enough to preserve Julia from her tragic fate,

and her lack of personal determination allowed her to be manipulated

to her great disadvantage.

An additional aspect of steadfastness of belief is alluded to

in the quotation from "Meister Wacht" cited more completely above:

. . . der wahre fromme Glaube Uberwindet wohl die schnode, ja sUndliche Tapferkeit eines verharteten GemUts. . . . ("Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 335)

The idea that even a simple person who possesses a firm, steady character may exert great persuasive influence upon others, especially

2k those with a more vacillating nature, is put forth by Schubert, who uses as examples of steadfast characters early Christians who reputedly healed those possessed, and the disbeliever in hypnotism, whose presence disturbs the somnambulist. Good examples of this type of steadfastness occur in "Datura," where Sever was able to save Eugeni us from becoming a murderer:

Sever liess dem Freunde einige Augenblicke Ruhe, sich zu fassen, und Ubte dann Uber ihn die Macht, die jedem festen klaren GemUt eigen. ("Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 293), was du sein sol 1st.—Mute dich nur vor Uberspannten, wahnsinnigen Toren und verschliesse dein GemUt dem bosen Zauber ihrer verlockenden Reden I" (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 327 f .) 2k Schubert, Nachtseite, pp. Sk f . 227

and in Murr, where Kreisler prevented Cyprianus from destroying the

spirit of the monastery, and the reason for his success as stated by

the Abbot nearly paraphrases Schubert;

Ein standhaftes GemUt, ein fester Sinn, vorzUglich aber wohl ein tiefes, richtiges GefUhl, das wie eine wunderbar wahr- sagende Erkenntnis in unserer Brust verborgen, richtet vereint mehr aus als der scharfste Verstand, der geUbteste, allés scheidende Slick. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 524)

The power of a simple steadfastness in a non-Christian sense is

illustrated in "Topf," where Serpentina warned Anselmus against Liese:

Nimm dich vor der Alten in acht, lieber Anselmus, sie ist dir feind, weil dein kindlich frommes GemUt schon manchen ihrer bosen Zauber v ern ich tet, ("Topf," Dichtungen, I I I , 81)

Here Anselmus' influence worked negatively upon Liese, even without his being aware of it.

The Escape into Death

The possibility of death as an ultimate escape from the misery and inadequacy of earthly existence and perhaps even of the entanglements of the inimical force is suggested cautiously in

"Sandmann" and more positively in "Meister Floh," Hoffmann's last major work. In spite of the Faustlike death scene of Nathanael's father, the boy grasped at slender evidence that his father's soul was not damned:

Als man zwei Tage darauf meinen Vater in den Sarg legte, waren seine GesichtszUge wieder mild und sanft geworden, wie sie im Leben waren. Trostend ging es in meiner Seele auf, dass sein Bund mit dem teuflischen Coppelius ihn nicht ins ewige Verderben gestUrzt haben konne. ("Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 61)

This hope remained with the youth, even in the depths of his terrifying experience with Coppola, finding expression in his 228 pessimistic-optimistic premonition of his own end, which, though tragic, would at the same time bring illumination and escape:

. . . dann wirst Du Uberzeugt sein , . , dass ein dunkles Verhangnis wirklich einen trUben Wolkenschleier Uber mein Leben gehangt hat, den ich vielleicht nur sterbend zerreisse. ("Sandmann," Dichtungen, VI, 60)

The idea that the approach of death expands the individual's capacity for comprehension of ultimate truth is proposed also in Aurelie's visionary death scene (Elixiere, PW II, 357) and in the statements of the elderly Uncle V, in "Majorat" when he realized that he would soon die;

Ich meine, dass im Hellsehen des Alters sich deutlicher das Walten der unerforschlichen Macht zeigt. Es sind Blicke vergonnt in das gelobte Land, zu dem die Pilger- fahrt beginnt mit dem zeitlichen Tode. ("Majorat," Dichtungen, II, 115 f .)

Schubert, too, believed that the approach of death brought to plants and animals the ability to foresee their own transformation into a new, higher form of existence (Nachtseit e , p. 250), Thus George Pepusch

("Floh") was able to foretell accurately his own fate:

Denn bald blUhet die Distel um Mitternacht auf in voiler Pracht und Kraft, und in dem Liebestod dammert die Morgen* rote des hoheren Lebens. ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 584)

While it is not certain whether Nathanael was able, as he had hoped, to escape even in death from the elements of the inimical force which had bound him up in error during his life, the positive fulfillment

Cf. Schubert, Nachtsei te, pp. 248 f. 229

of George's longing for attainment of renewed existence on a higher

plane is proclaimed with certainty by Peregrinus/Sekakis:

Das Mysterium ist erschlossen, der hdchste Augenblick allés erfüllten Sehnens war auch der Augenblick deines Todes. ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 641)

If Jaffe^s conjecture that Anselmus' shattering of the crystal 26 signified his death is accepted, then perhaps Anselmus' trans­

formation into a higher form of existence in Atlantis, which certainly constitutes the fulfillment of his longing, may provide insight into

the final salvation of Pepusch as w ell,

Jaffe^ p. 420. CHAPTER MU

THE UPPER REALM

A number of statements have been made by Hoffmann scholars concerning the nature of Hoffmann's upper realm, most of which use

Atlantis as an example and point of departure, for it is the super­ natural world which is most elaborately developed by Hoffmann himself,

References to other realms beyond the sensory world are scattered and incomplete and their sources are more difficult to trace,^ The fact that Atlantis is mentioned by Schubert (Nachtseite, pp. 4, 49) is 2 g elaborated upon by Sucher (Pirker, p. 273)» Dahmen, Mühlher,"^ Negus

(p. 174), Jaffe^ (pp. 329 f.), and Werner (pp. 90 f.), and the latter two authors also point out passages in Schelling and Novalis which deal with the golden age of innocence, when men lived in harmony with nature and God, before

. . , der Funke der Erkenntnis . . . die ursprllngl iche Einheit der Natur gesprengt, den heiligen Einklang der

^ Urdarland ("Brambilla") is also mentioned by Schubert. 2 Dahmen, "Hoffmann und Schubert," Literaturw issenschaft- 1iches Jahrbuch der Gorresgesel1schaft (Freiburg/Br., 1926), I, 78.

^ MUhlher, "Liebestod und Spiegelmythe," in Zeitschrift fur deutsche Philologie, LXVII (Stuttgart, 1942), 30.

230 231

Wesen gestort, die Weltseele in Millionen einander fremder Einzelwesen zerspalten [hat]. . . . (von Müller, Künst- lerisches Schaffen, p. 29)

Von Müller continues: . . das Einzelwesen kann nur zum Glück

gelangen, wenn es sich dem Allwesen hingibt" (p. 29), which cor­ responds to the thinking of Jaffefwhen she equates Atlantis with the unconscious (pp. 268, 331). This striving of the individual to lose his individuality is, of course, closely connected with the goal of the mystics, absorption of the individual personality u into that of the Divine. Harich extends the idea of loss of individuality to the Kreisler portion of Kater Murr and to "Prinzessin

Blandina" as well, putting forth the postulation that the lovers in both sto ries were destined to be joined in "Nirwana," a process which was ostensibly to be taken up by Hoffmann in the unwritten endings of both works.^ While the prospect of so mythical an ending for so realistic a work as the Kreisler portion of Murr seems inappro­ priate and unlikely,^ a similar "ending" for "Blandina" appears less

likely yet, as the playlet, though ostensibly a fragment, actually possesses quite a satisfactory solution. Harich, of course, is led astray by Kreisler's satirical comments after the end of the play, taking them entirely seriously as Hoffmann's true intentions and

^ Pirker, p. 267.

^ Walther Harich, E. I . A. Hoffmann, Das Leben eines Künstlers (Berlin, 1920), II, 268 f.

^ Cf. Negus, p. 166. 232 failing to recognize that the ludicrousness of the contradiction between the wildly slapstick "Blandina" as presented and the excessive sentimentality of the ostensibly proposed final acts constitutes a twist of Kreisler/Hoffmann's ironic sense of humor.

Hoffmann's conception of Heaven, or the world beyond death, p a rticu la rly as it may d iffe r from Schubert's primeval world of harmony, is neglected to a great extent. Statements to be found are usually of a general nature, such as those made by Warner and

Negus, which are applicable to all areas of the upper realm, not just that of purified human spirits:

Der Dualismus von irdischer und Uberirdischer Welt, die sich miteinander in gewissem Sinne verschranken, durch- zieht das ganze Werk Hoffmanns. Ob die Uberirdische Welt nun als Reich der Poesie, der Phantasie oder als Reich Gottes bezeichnet wird, bleibt gleichgliltig. (Werner, pp. 76 f.)

It [Hoffmann's underworld] is definitely to be contrasted with the upper regions of his primeval world, a kind of Paradise. (Negus, p. 82)

Whether the "primeval world" in its original state as Schubert con­ ceived of it could even be classified as an "upper realm" is open to question, as Schubert (and Hoffmann) always considered this world as having existed on earth, like Eden, in the distant past. Schelling, too, refers to a primeval world in at least two instances, but they do not have connotations as idyllic as do Schubert's and Hoffmann's versions, nor does Schelling indicate any d esira b ility in returning to a similar world after death, but rather stresses as ideal the return to an even earlier state, into "das Gaschlecht der Ideen" in 233 the in tellectu al world^ where the individual identity would be lost

and the individual soul absorbed into the Divine. In the light of

Hoffmann's recurring fear of losing his personality, and the nega­ tive connotations which he regularly attached to the states which would incorporate this loss (magnetism, insanity), this inter­ pretation of Hoffmann's upper realm is difficult to accept in the case of Atlantis and even more so in Hoffmann's other works where a

"higher realm" plays a role.

The simple explanation of Atlantis as the elevated realm of 0 poesy, as Hoffmann himself explains, i.e. a part of the world of art, seems to be the most satisfactory answer as to the nature of 9 A tlan tis, and the one most commonly accepted, for Hoffmann's works contain frequent references to such a world, as has been indicated in a limited way in the section on redemption and will be discussed in greater detail below.

The theory that Hoffmann dealt with re a lity on two or more levels—one of them the higher realm--is suggested by Dahmen,

^ Schelling, "Menschliche F r e i h e i t Werke, Hauptband IV, 270 ff.j "Philosophie und Religion," Werke, Hauptband IV, 52.

Q "Topf," Dichtungen, I I I , 118: "1st denn Uberhaupt des Anselmus Seligkeit etwas anderes als das Leben in der Poesie, der sich der heilige Einklang a lle r n/esen als tie fs te s Geheimnis der Natur offenbaret?" g Cf. Negus, p. 86; Strohschneider-Kohrs, p. 3^9; Mayer, I , p. xix.

Dahmen, "Weltanschauung," Beitrage zur deutschen Li teratur­ wi ssenschaft, No. 35 (Marburg a .L ., 1929), 40. 234

Harich (Dichtungen, VI, i i i ) , von Müller, who quotes von Schaukai

(Künstlerisches Schaffen, p. 31), and Mayer (I, viii ff.). Each

world overlaps the adjacent ones to some extent, but this over­

lapping is apparent only at some times to some people:

Wird die Erscheinung der hoheren Welt nur ausserlich wahr- genommen, aber nicht innerlich verstanden, so halt man das Gesehene fur eine Tauschung. (Dahmen, "Weltanschauung," Bei trage zur deutschen Li teraturwi ssenschaft, No. 35 LMarburg a .L ., 1929J, 4TT5

Schmerbach re je c ts th is idea of layers of re a lity , at least as far as

a character depicted as a living person is concerned:

Eine ganz besondere Rolle spielt das Gleichnis fur unseren Dichter, der die Ubersinnliche Welt gestaltete und doch fest auf dem Boden der Wirklichkeit blieb. Er glaubte ja nicht daran, dass der Mensch als reales Wesen in eine hohere Welt eindringen konne und so wurde ihm die hohere Welt nur ein Gleichnis, das heisst, er legte immer wieder irdische Mass- stabe an, verglich mit dem Irdischen. Die "als ob" und "wie wenn" sind der stilistische Ausdruck solcher Vergleiche zwischen hoherer und realer Welt. (Schmerbach, p. 87)

Schmerbach does not dispute here the p o ssib ility that a no longer

living person may penetrate into a higher realm, but neither he nor

the authors mentioned above in regard to multiple levels of reality

attempt a classification of the possible areas within this upper

realm regardless of its relative difficulty or ease of accessibility.

An analysis of the various regions of Hoffmann's upper realm as they are presented in his works and personal papers shows that they

are as interrelated and overlapping as the regions in his realm of darkness. Indeed, there is even a degree of blurring in the borders separating some parts of the upper realm with some parts of the lower, chiefly in the area of Hoffmann's nature goddess, whose domicile 235

appears as ambivalent as her own personality. However, in the upper

realms as in the realm of darkness, though definite descriptions are

not always given, certain d istin ctio n s can be made, and the areas may best be divided into three main categories: (l) Heaven, or the Realm of Light and Love; (2) the World of Art; (3) the Sanctuary of Nature.

Here, as in the realm of darkness, similar symbolism and descriptions may form a part of more than one area. References to brightness and music, for example, are found in all three areas, and other similar­

ities and differences will become apparent as the areas are discussed

i n d e ta i 1 .

Heaven, or the Realm of Light and Love

"Light, ineffable and uncreated, the perfect symbol of pure un­ d ifferen tiated Being: above the intellect, as St. Augustine re­ minds us, but known to him who loves." (Underhill, p. 115)

Hoffmann's lack of formal connection with any particular religious faith is a generally accepted fact, as is his obvious interest in Catholicism, especially during the years when his artistic creativity was centered in music. Hewett-Thayer credits him with having possessed a "deeply religious nature" but admits that it did not adhere to traditional forms (p. 128), while Heilborn insists, as was mentioned in the introduction, that Hoffmann was an "absolutely unethical person" who only paid lip service to the recognition of good versus evil, while depending upon his aesthetic sensitivity as 236 11 12 a guide for judging behavior (Heilborn, 94, 95)» As opposite

as these two opinions are with regard to Hoffmann's degree of religious

devoutness, and it would seem that the true situation lay somewhere

between the two extremes, Heilborn's indication that Hoffmann followed

his own rules of behavior (as is also implied by Hewett-Thayer), which did not always agree perfectly with morality as generally

accepted, is borne out in his works, as was shown above in the sections on erro r and se lf-e lev a tio n .

In Hoffmann's conception, the world beyond the grave as it is

presented in his works and papers d e fin ite ly exists in an elevated

area "beyond the stars" although its boundaries are not absolutely

fixed, is influenced somewhat by traditional Catholic/Christian/Mystic elements, with strong overtones of the aesthetic, expressed in the 13 recurring presence of music as a part of the heavenly scene.

Heaven is the final home of purified spirits, perfect love, and of

"Sehnsucht," the emotion so prominent in the thinking of the

Romanticists. As was mentioned above in the discussion of Harich's

views on Nirwana, another popular Romantic idea, that of loss of

^ ^ Dahmen, "Hoffmann und Schubert," Li teraturwi ssenschaft- 1iches Jahrbuch der Gorresgesel1schaft (Freiburg/Br., 1926), I, 73 : ^ T so mussen wi r fur Hoffmann s ta tt des Guten das Schone setzen. . . 12 Pirker, p. 268. According to Sucher, Hoffmann is entirely lacking in the "Realizierung der moralischen Konzeption des Gottiichen."

Cf. Murr, Dichtungen, V, 244; "Floh," Dichtungen, III, 639 . 237 self, of being freed through death from the pain of individual-

ill izatio n , does not appear in Hoffmann's thinking. Rather, he looked forward to gaining even greater insight into the individ­ uality of beloved persons, once they and he were free of their earthly bonds, as he expressed in a beautiful passage regarding

Julia from his le tte r of May 1, 1820, to Speyer:

Sagen Sie ihr, dass das Engelsbild aller Herzensgüte, aller Himmelsanmut wahrhaft weiblichan Sinns, kindlicher Tugend, das mir aufstrahlte in jener Ungl'uckszeit acheron- tisch er F in stern is, mich nicht verlassen kann beim letzten Hauch des Lebens, ja dass dann erst die entfesselte Psyche jenes Wesen das ihre Sehnsucht war, ihre Hoffnung und ihr Trost, recht erschauen wird, im wahrhaftigen Sein I

Similar statements are made in Elixiere (PW II, 363 ) where the lovers hope to meet beyond their earthly life, and in "Magnétiseur" by the

Hoffmannesque a r t i s t , Bickert:

Es gibt fur mich keine Gegenwart mehr, nur der Vergangen- heit glUckliche Tage schliessen sich an das feme Jenseits, das mich oft in wunderbaren Traumen mit lieblichem Schimmer, aus dem die geliebten Freunde lachelnd mir zuwinken, umfangt. —Wann l--wann werde ich zu euch hinüberwallen? ("Magnéti­ seur," Dichtungen, IX, 57)

Schlicking points out the ambivalence of Hoffmann's world of s p ir its :

So f r e i 1ich offenbart sich nur eine Seite des Hoffmannschen WeitbiIdes, die Annahme, dass das Geisterreich eine Art von Garten Eden s e i . Haufiger^hatte er die Empfindung, es ware der Hoi le gleichzusetzen.

Rudolf Bach, Deutsche Romantik (Hamburg, 1948), pp. 35-37.

Julius Lothar Schlicking, "Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann und der deutsche Geist," in Mitteilungen der E. T. A. Hoffmann- Gesel1schaft (Bamberg, 1933-39), p. 27. 238

Plainly Hoffmann's spirits, as well as their world, are divided

into good and e v il, or perhaps pure and impure would be a better

description, for those spirits who dwell in the upper realm are

those who have been penetrated by the pure and selfless love of

Heaven, a requisite for redemption, according to Schubert (Traum,

pp. 196 f,), and a process which may be started while man is still experiencing his earthly life, Boehme also stresses the change which must come about in the nature of love after death: "Profane

love has been changed into holy love and wedded people now love spiritually" (Stoudt, p. 289).

A relationship approaching this spiritual love in treated

in "Pivardiere," a work which might well serve as an example of

Schubert's belief that spiritual perfection is best attained by

loss of the beloved person (Traum, p. 142). The lovers in "Pivar­ diere" discovered their mutual love only after her marriage to someone else and his becoming a p rie st:

Er versicherte, dass er nun erst den ewigen Ratschluss des Himmels erkenne und preise, nachdem sein irdisches Glück zertrümmert worden um seinen Sinn ganz zu reinigen, zu heiligen, empfanglich zu machen fur ein Verbaltnis, das auf Erden schon die Seligkeit des Himmels erschliesse. Ihn habe die ewige Macht ausersehen, sie, die er einst mit der hochsten Inbrunst geliebt, auf den wahren, einzigen Himmelsweg zu lei ten. ("Pivardiere," Dichtungen, XI, 325)

The penetration of the human heart by heavenly love is illustrated in "Floh" in the vision involving King Sekakis/Peregrinus and the lovers Dortje and George:

Kommt an meine Brust, Geliebte I Der Strahl des Karfunkels wird euer Herz durchdringen, und ihr werdet die Seligkeit des Himmels geniessen. ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 639) 239

This mystic penetration transformed the stormy, often one-sided courtship into a relationship of a much higher order (". . . man erstaunte nicht wenig, als man wahrnahm, dass sie das Brautgemach gar nicht betreten" ["Floh," Dichtungen, III, 641]), characterized by the "pure, ethereal fire of Heaven" (III, 640).

Hoffmann is no more d e fin ite in describing Heaven than in describing Hell. The outstanding characteristic of Heaven, however, is light. Thus Heaven is the "source of light" ("Haus," Dichtungen,

IX, 162 ), God is "the Father of Light" ("Datura," Dichtungen, IX,

286 ), and "the joy of Heaven arose brightly" in the heart of Medardus

(Elixiere, PW II, 354). The element of fire is shared by Heaven with

Hell,'^ but the difference between the two fires is clearly recog- nized by Aurelie:

Es gab Augenblicke, in denen . . . es mir war, als strahle aus seinem Innern der Funke des Himmels, der mich zur reinen Uberirdischen Liebe entzUnden konne. Aber dann wusste er mit verruchter List . . . eine Glut aufzufachen, die aus der Hoi le kam. (E lix iere, PW I I , 253 f .)

Love and longing are not only a ttrib u tes of Heaven, they are supernatural powers in themselves, according to Meister Abraham (Murr) and the clairvoyant Furstin in "Doppeltganger," both of whom are positive characters:

. . . in mir glUhte a lle Liebe, die der ewige Weltgeist selbst i s t . (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 489)

Cf. Stoudt, pp. 224 ff.j Jaffe, pp. 308 f .; Underhill, pp. 115 f f .

Cf. "Rauber," Dichtungen,IX, 332; E lix ie re , PW I I , 7 O; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 193; "Elementargeist," Pichtungen, VI, 254. 240

Ihr fernen Klagetone, habt ihr euch losgewunden aus der Brust des Menschen, dass ihr vermoget, frei euch zu er- heben im gewaltigen Chor?—Aber verballen mUsst ihr in Lust, denn die in segensreichen Himmeln thronende Macht, die euch gebietet, ist ja die Sehnsucht. ("Doppelt­ ganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 175)

The heavenly elements of perfect love and longing are frequently combined, resulting in strong suggestions of the love death theme, long before this theme is actually completely carried out in 18 "Floh." Thus the love of two pairs of star-crossed lovers--

Aurelie and Medardus and Kreisler and Julia--demonstrates the love death proclivity very prominently;

Sowie ich Aurelien erblickte, fuhr ein Strahl in meine Brust und entzUndete all die geheimsten Regungen, die wonnevollste Sehnsucht, das EntzUcken der inbrUnstigen Liebe, allés, was sonst nur gleich einer Ahnung aus weiter Feme im Innern erklungen, zum regen Leben. . . . (Elixiere. PW II, 76 )

. . . noch einmal b reite ich die Arme aus wie Adlersflligel, mich dorthin zu schwingen, wo ein sUsser Zauber waltete, wo jene Liebe, die nicht in Raum und Zeit bedingt, die ewig ist wie der Weltgeist, mir aufging in den ahnungsvollen Himmels- tonen, welche die dUrstende Sehnsucht selbst sind und das Verlangen. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 312)

However, a sim ilar description is given for the relationship of

Peregrinus and Roschen, who enjoyed not only a happy contemporary marriage, but had apparently also had a similar happy relationship in the distant past in Famagusta:

So wie Peregrinus der hoi den Jungfrau ins Auge blickte, war es ihm, als habe er in schwerlastenden Banden gelegen,

18 This tendency is mentioned by Harich, who includes, inexplicably, Giglio and Giazinta ("Brambilla") among lovers under­ going the love death. (Dichtungen, III, xxxi). 241

die eine wohltatige Macht gelost, und der Engel des Lichts stehe vor ihm, an dessen Hand er eingehen werde in das Reich namenloser Liebeswonne und Sehnsucht. ("Floh," Pi chtungen. III, 6l6)

Since the lovers in this case continued to live on earth, one can only assume that a really selfless and pure love affords the lovers a foretaste of the divine love to come in the afterworld. A similar idealized existence is enjoyed by Candida and Balthasar on their estate outside Kerepes—a kind of miniature suburban Atlantis--given them by Prosper Alpanus as a wedding present ("Zaches").

The unsuccessful attempt at attaining such a state of tem­ porary bliss through earthly love is portrayed by Hoffmann three times, in Elixiere, "Floh," and "Irrungen." The passage from

Elixiere, directed toward the reader, suggests the love death theme very strongly:

. . . rufe dir jene hochste Sonnenzeit zuriick, schaue noch einmal das hoi de Frauenbild, das, der Geist der Liebe selbst dir entgegentrat. . . . Du umfingst sie voll glUhenden Verlangens und w o lltest, losgelost von der Erde auflodern in inbrUnstiger Sehnsucht I—Aber das Mysterium blieb unerfUllt, eine finstre Macht zog stark und gewaltig dich zur Erde nieder, als du dich aufschwingen wolltest mit ihr zu dem fernen Jenseits, das dir verheissen. (Elixiere, PW II, 193)

The "dark power" involved here is that of reality and earthly existence, which cannot yet be left behind. The same elements occur in a humorous vein, predictably in late works, "Floh" and "Irrungen."

Thus Peregrinus cut his nose on Dortje's headdress while bending down to kiss her:

Wohl oft hat es sich aber begeben, dass jemand gerade im hochsten Rausch der Uberschwenglichsten Wonne sich recht derb die Nase stie ss und plotzlich geweckt durch den 242

irdischen Schmerz aus dem sell gen Jenseits hinabfiel in das ordinare Diesseits. ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 543)

Peregrinus' "delirium of excessive bliss" has a counterpart in

Theodor's dream trance, his magic carpet flig h t with the Greek

princess, which also ended with his fall back into reality:

"Befand ich mich wirklich mit ihr, mit dem Leben meiner Seele auf der Reise nach Paphos und ris s mich eine damonische Gewalt herab?" ("Irrungen," Dichtungen, XI, 203). In spite of the humor of the situations treated in "Floh" and "Irrungen," a serious theme is concealed ju st below the su rfa c t—the in ab ility to find fulfillment with an inappropriate partner. Indeed, three of the four persons involved (Peregrinus, Dortje, and the Greek princess) were connected to more appropriate lovers by mysterious bonds.

Hoffmann's most delicate and deeply personal expression of the perfect love which transplants a part of Heaven's bliss into

the human heart is, of course, the idea of the artist's love, here

presented by Kreisler:

Und nun lodert auf in reinem Himmelsfeuer, das nur leuchtet und warmt, ohne mit verderblichen Flammen zu vernichten, allés EntzUcken, alle namenlose Wonne des hoheren, aus dem Innersten emporkeimenden Lebens, und tausend Fuhlhorner streckt der Geist aus in brUnstigem Verlangen und umnetzt die, die er geschaut, und hat sie, und hat sie nie, da die Sehnsucht ewig dUrstend fortlebt I (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 193 f .)

Julia, the object of Kreisler's artist's love, experienced a far paler version of Kreisler's dynamic emotions, in accordance with her passive, somewhat timid character: "Wir fUhlen uns in seiner

Nahe von einem gewissen gemUtlichen Wohlbehagen geheimnisvol1 243 durchstromt, erhoben Uber uns selbst. . . . (Murr , Dichtungen, V,

377). If Julia's love did not carry her to Heaven, it at least elevated her somewhat over the ordinary world.

If love provides, though only on a temporary basis, a means of entry to the world of light and love (". . . so geschah es, dass

Peregrinus selbst in der Ekstase, die ihn einen niegeahnten Himmel schauen liess. . . ." ["Floh," Dichtungen, III, 616]), it is also a subtle communication from above:

Es gibt Hoheres als irdische Lust. . . . und das ist jene hochste Sonnenzeit, wenn . . . die Geliebte wie ein Himmels- strahl allés Hohere, allés, was aus dem Reich der Liebe segensvoll herabkommt auf den armen Menschen, in deiner Brust entzUndet. (Elixiere, PW II, 362 )

Traditional means of communication with the heavenly powers which

Hoffmann mentions specifically are prayer ("Feind," Dichtungen, II,

312, 313; "SpielerglUck," Dichtungen, XI, 94; "Rauber," Dichtungen,

IX, 331; e t c .) , conscience (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 509), dreams

("Don Juan," Dichtungen, I, 155; "Doge," Dichtungen, X, 146;

"Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 57), through a representative of the 20 church and the faithful contemplation of relics, whether they are genuine or not:

Was is t jenes StUckchen Holz--jenes Knochlein . . . aber den Glaubigen, der, ohne zu grUbeln, sein ganzes Gamut

19 Cf. passage regarding Julia in letter to Speyer, May 1, 1820.

O ft Elixiere, PW II, 321: "Aber es war, als wurde, indem ich den Greis . . . absolvierte, von der hohen ewigen Macht ein Geist des Himmels in mir entzUndet, und als sei ich nur das Werkzeug, das korpergewordene Organ, dessen sich jene Macht bediene, um schon hie- nieden zu dem noch nicht entbundenen Menschen menschlich zu reden." Cf. Elixiere, PW II, 36 ; "Pivardiere," Dichtungen, XI, 349. 244

darauf richtet, erfüllt bald jene Uberirdische Begeisterung, die ihm das Reich der Seligkeit erschliesst, das er hie- nieden nur geahnetj und so wird der geistige Einfluss des Heiligen, dessen auch nur angebliche Reliquie den Impuls gab, erweckt, und der Mensch vermag Starke und Kraft im Glauben von dem hoheren Geiste zu empfangen, den er im Innersten des Gemüts um Trost und Beistand anrief. (Elixiere, PW II, 32 f.)

The judgment made of poets, also intermediaries with the Divine, who

are less than genuine, i.e. those who are bad or insincere, is less generous :

Doch freut es mich, dass du meinen Zorn, meine Verachtung gegen eure falschen Propheten—so will ich die nennen, die der wahren Poesie zum Hohn sich nur im Falschen, Ange- eigneten bewegen--so gut aufgenommen oder vielmehr fur gerecht erkannt hast.--Ich sage dir, Freund, traue nicht den Gesprenkelten 1 ("Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 92)

Although the novel Elixiere is permeated with the atmosphere of Catholicism, and this atmosphere also plays an important role in the Kreisler portion of Murr, in "Marquise de la Pivardiere," in "GelUb­ de," and in "Feind," even in these works the glimpses afforded con­ cerning the nature of Heaven and its powers are usually not expressed in traditionally Catholic terms. The fact that Hoffmann rarely refers to the Diety as "God" is quite obvious even to the casual reader.

Instead, Hoffmann substitutes such expressions as "die ewige Macht des Himmels" (sometimes shortened to "die ewige Macht"), "die ewige unerforschliche Macht," "die himmlische Macht," "der ewige Geist,"

"die hochste Macht des Himmels," "die ewigen Himmelsmachte," and other similar forms. The Virgin is seldom mentioned, few saints referred to (St. Rosalia and St. Anthony in Elixiere and St. Cacilie in "Berganza"), and the figure of Jesus is neglected almost completely.

True angels are lacking almost entirely (Hadwiga expresses the hope 24$ that "an angel of Heaven" might carry her "up to the stars" [Murr, 21 V, 2443). Instead, angelic women and the spirit of artistic inspiration fulfill the usual functions of angels as comforters,

intermediaries, and messengers of the Divine.

Although the beneficent force has no direct superhuman representatives on earth, it nonetheless is credited with directly influencing human affairs in a variety of ways. Thus Heaven is a source of talents and personal characteristics ranging from occult powers to physical beauty:

Aber dieser Wissenschaft gesellte sich eine besondere Gabe bei, die der Hi mine 1 mir verlieh in unerforschl icher Absicht--Wie in einem fernen dunklen Spiegel erschaue ich oft kUnftige Ereignisse. . . . (Quotation of Margareta/ Beatrice, "Doge," Dichtungen, X, 150 f.)

Lammerhirt naherte sich dem Peregrinus und begann halb lei se von Roschen zu reden, was sie fur ein frommes gutes liebes Kind sei, der der Himmel auch die Gabe ausserer Schonheit verliehen. . . . ("Floh," Dichtungen, III, 620)

It is the source of comfort:

Mit heiterm Antlitz . . . trat er [Wacht] unter seine Getreuen und verkUndigte, wie der giitige Himmel den Geist der Gnade und des Trostes auf ihn herabgesandt,

21 Strich, II, 6 f. According to Schleiermacher, "die mythischen V orstel1 ungen von Gottern, Damonen, Engeln und Elementar- geistern" are human inventions. Cf. Schelling, "Kunst," Werke, Hauptband III, 4$6. Schelling expresses the opinion that the angels' places in Heaven were contrived by the church so that its hierarchy might form a parallel with that in Heaven.

Cf, "Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 5, 76; "Brambilla," Dichtungen, III, 357» "Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 207; "Haimatochare," Dichtungen, XI, 45; "Falun," Dichtungen, IX, 188; "Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 93, 96; "Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 22; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 421 f ., 519. 246

und wie er nun gestarkt mit Mut und Kraft seine# Beruf erfUllen werde, ("Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 281)

of inspiration:

"Sieh nur, mein a lte r Kamerad," sprach Wacht, "welchen wunderbaren Weg die ewige Macht gewahlt hat, urn mich mein grosses Leid Uberstehen zu lessen. In den Tagen . . . gab mir der Geist den Gedanken eines besonders kunstlichen, . . . Hangewerks e in , . . ."("Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 282) and of special favors, usually to reward virtue:

Da liess es die ewige Macht des Himmels geschehen, dass eine besondere anmutige Gunst des Schicksals die Liebe des Frau- leins lohnte und die BemUhungen des guten Doktors unterstUtzte. ("Genesung," Dichtungen, XI, 400)

Heaven may rescue persons from danger or pain while preserving their

1ives:

Dank den himmlischen Machten, dass du errettet bist aus den Schlingen der arglistigen Welt. . . . (Elixiere, PW II, 334 f.) or by granting them escape through death, as expressed in Hoffmann's touching letter to Hitzig upon the death of the letter's daughter, only a few months before Hoffmann himself died:

Gepriesen sei die ewige Macht, die endlich die namenlose Erdenqual des frommsten Kindes geendet hat I . . . Sie war fur ein hoheres Leben bestimmt und dem ist sie zugeeiltl (January 18, 1822)

Cf. Elixiere, PW II, 80. Cf. Elixiere, PW II, 17.

Cf. Elixiere, PW II, 308, 3I6 ; "Topf," Dichtungen, III, 27 f . 26 Cf. "Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 314; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 374 , 381; E lix ie re , PW I I, 330.

Cf. "Scuderi," Dichtungen, II, 218. 247

Yet, the beneficent force inspires not only love, but also fear. It not only grants favors, but tests, sometimes cruelly, its 28 subjects and metes out punishment as well. This ambivalence is illu s tra te d in a statement made by Hoffmann/Theodor to the

Sarapionsbrlider :

Bald is t daher die Andacht innere Zerknirschung bis zur Selbstverachtung und Schmach, Hinsinken in den Staub vor dem vernichtenden B litzstrahl des dem Sunder zUrnenden Herrn der Wei ten, bald kraftige Erhebung zu dem Unendlichen, kindliches Vertrauen auf die gottliche Gnade, Vorgefühl der verheissenen Seligkeit, (SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 366 f ,)

As the wrath of God may manifest itself in "the annihilating bolt of lightening," so it may appear in the rumble of distant thunder

(Elixiere, PW II, 297» "Dichter und Komponist," Dichtungen, I, 124), in a dream (Elixiere PW I I , 338), in abandonment of the sinner to the powers of the inimical force (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 426), or direct punishment of wickedness or unseemly behavior ("Doge," Dichtungen, X,

155» "Formica," Dichtungen, VIII, 344; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 2/8;

"Scuderi," Dichtungen, II, 173» "SpielerglUck," Dichtungen, XI,

83 f ., 99» "Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 122), Even the spiritually oriented artist's love may be a painful and unsuccessful venture for the sensitive earth-bound lover. Thus Hedwiga could not sublimate her feelings for Kreisler into a form acceptable to him and the wor1d :

, , , es war der Gedanke der hochsten Seligkeit, der zu machtig wurde, der diese Brust zersprengen wollte, und dessen Himmelsentzlicken sich g estaltete wie totender Schmerz, (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 374)

oO Cf, E lix iere, PW I I, 348; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 520; "Pivardiere," Dichtungen, XI, 337 f.» "Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 2/8, 248

A reflection of Schubert's thinking is found in this statement of

Dahmen:

Fur den Romantiker gewinnt also die W irklichkeit dieser Erde einen tiefen Sinn, wei1 sie die Vermittlerin der hoheren Wei ten darstellt. (Dahmen, "Weltanschauung," Bei trage zur deutschen Li teraturwissenschaft, No. 35 (Marburg a . L., 1929), p. 42.

Schubert believed that the real world was originally meant to be a symbol of the higher world to come (Traum, pp. 70-78). This theory was given expression by Hoffmann as the opinion of the rather negatively portrayed Jesuit Professor Walther:

"Ei," sprach e r, "das hohere Reich soli man erkennen in dieser Welt, und diese Erkenntnis darf geweckt warden durch heitere Symbole, wie sie das Leben, ja der aus jenem Reich ins irdische Leben herabgekommene Geist, darbietet. Unsere Heimat ist wohl dort droben; aber sol ange wir hier hausen, ist unser Reich auch von dieser Welt." ("Jesuiterkirche," PW II, 478)

Hoffmann could not really accept this reasoning, except perhaps as it applied to nature, until the very last period of his life, for until then, painful reality was no home for him, but something to be escaped as frequently and completely as possible, into the

"higher existence" of fantasy and art, in the artist's version of the advice given to the depressed Hermogen by Reinhold:

. . . ein JUngling, so wie Sie, mit innerer Kraft, mit jugendlichem Feuermute ausgerUstet, muss vermogen, sich gegen des Schicksals eharne Faust zu wappnen, ja er muss, wie durchstrahlt von einer gottlichen Natur, sich Uber sein Geschick erheben und so, dies hohere Sain in sich selbst erweckend und entzUndend, sich emporschwingen Uber die Q,ual dieses armseligen Lebens'. (Elixiere, PW II, 62)

Hoffmann felt truly penetrated by art as by a divine spirit by means of which he could rise above the "torture of this miserable life." 249

His love for his art, as Negus notes, approached religious devotion

(p. 36 ) and, inextricably bound up as it was with his love for

J u lia , formed at least a temporary spiritual bridge away from reality to the upper realm of the Divine:

Ach',--gibt es denn eine Kluft, Uber die die Liebe mit starkem F ittich sich nicht hinwegschwingen konnte? Was ist fUr die Liebe der Raum, die Zeit I—Lebt sie nicht im Gedanken, und kennt der ein Mass? (E lix iere, PW I I , 62)

The World of Art

Klar wird der hohren Machte dunkles Walten, Entstrahlt's der Dichtung hellem Zauberspiegel ("Geheimnisse," Di chtungen, XI, 249)

As the last paragraph in the preceding section indicates, it is scarcely possible to separate Hoffmann's world of art from his 29 world of the Divine, a fact pointed out also by Himmel:

Die Kunst, die ihres religiosen Charakters entkleidet ist, ist fur den Romantiker nicht mehr die ganze Kunst; sie wird damonische Schopfung des einzelnen, der fur sich selbst arbeitet (Cardillacs Arbeit), oder tandelndes Spiel fur ein Publikum (die Werke der Scuderi),

Similar examples of the abasement of art abound in Hoffmann's writings and are condemned by him--among them the necessity for the musician to "entertain" instead of inspire and edify his listeners with his compositions ("Kreisler's musikalische Leiden"), Hoffmann's own forced

29 SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 378. According to Cyprian, "Jenseits" is the home of music,

Helmuth Himmel, "Schuld und SUhne der Scuderi" in Mi tteilungen der T. A, Hoffmann-GeselIschaft (Bamberg, 1960), pp. 10 f . 250

labors as a popular writer (Letter to Carl Schall, January, 1822)

and theater musician (Letter to Hitzig, May 25, 1809), and the glorification of unworthy objects by artists (Elixiere, PW II,

290; "Feind," Dichtungen, I I , 300; "Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 86).

According to Schelling;

Die unmittelbare Ursache aller Kunst ist Gott.--Denn Gott ist durch seine absolute Identitat der Quell aller Ineins». bildung des Realen und Idealen, worauf alle Kunst beruht.

Ich rede von einer heiligeren Kunst [than that practiced merely for pleasure or relaxation], derjenigen, welche, nach den AusdrUcken der Alten, ein Werkzeug der G otter, eine VerkUndigerin gottl icher Geheimnisse, die Enthiillerin der Ideen ist, von der ungebornen Schonheit, deren un- entweihter Strahl nur reine Seel en inwohnend erle u ch te t, und deren Gestalt dem sinnlichen Auge ebenso verborgen und unzuganglich ist als die der gleichen Wahrheit.

Wachenroder believed art and religion arose from the same source, 33 and Friedrich Schlegel, Schleiermacher, and Novalis considered artists the ones chosen to help ordinary mortals understand the

3k Divine. Even Schubert placed art on a level nearly as high as that of religion:

Die hohe Welt der Poesie und des Kunst1erid eals, noch mehr die Welt der Religion, vermag in dem irdischen Oaseyn nie

Schelling, "Kunst," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 406. 32 Schelling, "Vierzehnte Vorlesung," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 367 . Cf. "Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 45: "... die Kunst, diese M ittlerin zwischen uns und dem ewigen A ll, das wir nur durch sie recht deutlich ahnen. . . ." 33 Georg El lin g e r, E. T. A. Hoffmann. Sein Leben und sei ne Werke (Hamburg, 1894), p. 38.

Strich, II, 2; Novalis, "BlUtenstaub," No. 77: "Dichter und P riester waren im Anfang e i n s , und nur spatere Zeiten haben sie getrennt. Der echte Dichter ist aber immer Priester, so wie der echte Priester immer Dichter geblieben." 251

ganz einheimisch zu warden, und pfiegt der Vermischung mit den Elementen desselben zu widerstreben, (Nachtseit e , p. 308)

Like Schelling,^^ Hoffmann believed the artist's genius to be a spark of the Oiety.3^ For the artist Hoffmann reserves the supreme religious experience--the mystic union with the Divine:

. . . aber nur wenige, erweckt aus dem Traume, steigen empor und schreiten durch das Reich der Traume--sie kommen zur Wahrheit—der hochste Moment ist da: die Berlihrung mit dem Ewigen, unaussprechiichen I ("Gluck," Dichtungen, I, 127)

Thus the a r tis t was logically the most important intermediary between man and God:

1st es, sagte Kreisler sehr ruhig und dem Monch fest ins Auge blickend, is t es sündhaft, die ewige Macht zu preisen in der Sprache, die sie uns selbst gab, damit das Himmels- geschenk die Begeisterung der brlinstigsten Andacht, ja die Erkenntnis des Jenseits in unserer Brust erwecke, ist es sündhaft, sich auf den Seraphsfittichen des Gesanges hin- wegzuschwingen Uber a llé s Irdische und in frommer Sehnsucht und Liebe hinaufzustreben nach dem Hochsten . so bin ich ein arger Sunder. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 514)

By means of his works, the artist can transport the human spirit into spheres which would otherwise be inaccessible:

Die Musik schliesst dem Menschen ein unbekanntes Reich auf, eine Welt, die nichts gemein hat mit der aussern Sinnenwelt, die ihn umgibt, und in der er alle bestimmten GefUhle zurUcklasst, um sich einer unaussprechiichen Sehnsucht hinzugeben. ("Beethovens Instrumental-Musik," Dichtungen, XII, 14)

Schelling, "Kunst," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 430 f.

"AIte und neue Kirchenmusik," Dichtungen, XII, 27: "Dass dieser Leichtsinn, dieses ruchlose Verleugnen der uber uns waltenden Macht, die nur allein unserm Wirken, unsern Werken Gedeihen und Kraft gibt, die spottelnde Verachtung der heiIbringenden Frommigkeit von jener Nation herrUhrte, die so lange Zeit auf unglaubliche Weise der verblendeten Welt in Kunst und Wissenschaft als Muster g a it, liegt am Tage."

Cf. "Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 25 f . 252

This same idea with regard to the other arts as well as music is expressed also in "Berganza" (Dichtungen, XIII, 82), "Blandina"

(Dichtungen, VIII, 320), Murr (Dichtungen, V, 352 f,), "Majorat"

(Dichtungen, II, 81), "Beethovens Instrumental-Musik" (Dichtungen,

XII, 14), and "Dichter und Komponist" (Dichtungen, X III, 107).

The upper realm which is the source of art is described in the same way as the realm of love and light as a bright "distant land of spirits" ("Dichter und Komponist," Dichtungen, XIII, 107):

Ja, in jenem fernen Reiche, das uns oft in seltsamen Ahnungen umfangt, und aus dem wunderbare Stimmen zu uns herabtonen und alle die Laute wecken, die in der beengten Brust schliefen, und die, nun erwacht, wie in feurigen Strahlen freudig und froh heraufschiessen, so dass wir der Seligkeit jenes Paradieses teilhaftig werden--da sind Dichter und Musiker die innigst verwandten Glieder e i n e r Kirche, denn das Geheimnis des Worts und des Tons ist ein und dasselbe, das ihnen die hochste Weihe erschlossen. ("Dichter und Komponist," Dichtungen, XIII, 106)

Just as the artist is a citizen of and emissary from the transcendental realm of art, so he is a direct descendent from the primeval land of harmony with Nature, where, according to Schubert, man's speech was poetic and his knowledge of Nature complete (Nacht­ sei te , p. 63 ). Certainly Atlantis is as much an idyllic nature kingdom as it is a world of poesie, and an important indication of

Anselmus' transformation into a poet is his ability to understand the language of Nature, a feat of which he was incapable while he was still a student, but one which he shares with others of Hoffmann's artists--Salvator Rosa ("Formica," Dichtungen, VIII, 256 ), Berthold

("Jesui terki rche," Di chtungen, VIII, 67 ), Kreisler ("Lehrbrief," 253

Dichtungen, I, 83), Wolfframb von Eschinbach ("Kampf," Dichtungen,

X, 84), and Balthasar ("Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 222).

The powers of the artist may, however, transport the spirit not only into the sunny upper realms, but into the realm of darkness as w ell, awakening the emotions of fear and horror, yet without destroying hope and longing:

In die Tiefen des G eisterreichs fUhrt uns Mozart. Furcht umfangt uns, aber ohne Marter ist sie mehr Ahnung des Unendlichen. Liebe und Wehmut tonen in holden Geister- stimmen; . . . und in unaussprechiicher Sehnsuch ziehen wir nach den Gestalten, die freundlich uns in ihre Reihen winkend, in ewigem Spharentanze durch die Wolken fliegen. ("Beethovens Instrumental -Musi k'j Dichtungen , XII, 16)

Beethovens Musik bewegt die Hebei der Furcht, des Schauers, des Entsetzens, des Schmerzes und erweckt eben jene unend- liche Sehnsucht, welche das »Vesen der Romantik i s t . _g ("Beethovens Instrumental-Musik," Dichtungen, XII, 17)

The dangers involved in music which leads the artist too far into the depths of the dark realm are touched upon in two works. In "Kampf der Sanger," Klingsohr flirted with the demons of Hell:

Du hast den Klingsohr als hohen Meister erkannt. Er ist es; aber wehe dem, der nicht begabt mit der eigentUmlichen Kraft, die ihm eigen, es wagt, ihm gleich entgegenzustreben dem finstern Reich, das er sich erschlossen. (Dichtungen, X, 116 f .)

In "Kreisleriana" Kreisler is pictured teetering on the brink of insanity:

Der Gesang wirkte beinahe verderblich auf ihn, wei1 seine Fantasia dann iiberreizt wurde und sein Geist in ein Reich entwich, wohin ihm niemand ohne Gefahr folgen konnte. . . . (Dichtungen, I, 4)

Cf. Murr, Dichtungen, V, 347. 25k

Although the musician's (and a r t i s t 's ) "kingdom is not of th is world" ("Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 42), but it is the "World of

Light to which they belong" (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 352), they are still bound physically to the earthly existence, where their fire 39 of inspiration is too frequently mistaken by the prosaic for the fire of insanity:

Jeden, der einer grossen heiligen Idee, die nur der hoheren gottlichen Natur eigen, Gluck, Wohlstand, ja selbst das Leben opfert, schilt gewiss der, dessen hochste BemUhungen im Leben sich endlich dahin konzentrieren, besser zu essen und zu trinken und keine Schulden zu haben, wahnsinnig, und er erhebt ihn vielleicht, indem er ihn zu schelten glaubt, da er als ein hochst verstandiger Mensch jeder Ggmeinschaft mit ihm entsagt. ("Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 31)

But the artist is misunderstood and thwarted not only in this respect,

Thus Hoffmann expressed great bitterness, after leaving Bamberg, toward the entire attitude of the nonartistic and

. , . die ganze Opposition gegen a llés bessere Tun, Wirken und Treiben in dem hoheren Leben, wo der Mensch sich mit regem Fittig Uber den stinkenden Pfuhl seines armseligen Brotbettel-Lebens erhebt. . . . (Letter to Speyer, July 13, 1813)

Not all the artist's tribulations are of human origin, however. Even his inspiration is painful at first, just as the religious pilgrim

"Baron von B.," Dichtungen, I, 265: "Auf dem Gasicht des Barons lag der voile Ausdruck der herzlichsten GutmUtigkeit, wahrend aus seinen Augen jenes dunkle Feuer b litz te , das so oft den von der Kunst durchdrungenen Kunst1er verrat." Cf. "Gluck," Di chtungen, I I , 122, 124.

Cf. "Brambilla," Dichtungen, III, 362. 255 traveling the mystic way must pass through the desolate dark night of the soul before he achieves his desired union with God:

Glaubst du nicht, lieber Leser I dass das, was aus dem hbhern Reich der Liebe in unsre Brust hinabgekommen, sich uns zuerst offenbaren musse im hoffnungslosen Schmerz?—Das sind the Zweifel, die in des Künstlers Gemüt stürmen. . . . Aber dann kommt ihm wieder ein gottlicher Mut. . , . ("Artushof," Dichtungen, VIII, 15)

The threatening, shadowy realm of dreams, where the developing artist is in danger of simply fading into nothingness, but through which he must pass to reach his goal of a r tis tic accomplishment, is described in "Gluck" (Dichtungen, I, 127), and Anselmus, too, reached Atlantis only after arduous struggle. However, the struggle must be undergone by the chosen one:

Das rege Gefilhl des hoheren Seins, das Sie ewig mit dem schalen irdischen Treiben entzweien wird, entzweien muss, strahlt machtig heraus in der Kunst, die einer anderen Welt gehort, und die ein h eiliges Geheimnis der himmlischen Liebe mit Sehnsucht in Ihrer Brust verschlossen. (Murr, V, 352)

And for him it is worth while—". . . nur dem Geheiligten entfaltet die blaue Blume willig ihren Kelchï' ("Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII,

87)--for the artist finally discovers that he can never lose the upper realm into which he has been admitted, for it is also found inside himself:^^

Seitdem ich . . . mein wahres Sein, den hoheren Geist in mir erkannt habe, weiss ich, dass der Gesang nicht ausser mir wohnt, sondern ich selbst bin der Gesang, und der ist unsterblichl ("Blandina," Dichtungen, VII, 351)

Underhill, pp. 169 f. Cf. Jaffe'^ p. 268. 256

While the upper realm of light and love may be approached temporarily

or simulated on the worldly plane, frequently almost automatically,

by the earth-bond lover (i.e. one not involved in the artist's love),

if his love is appropriate, the world of art, which coincides with; '

k'i the heavenly realm to a great extent, is accessible after a

struggle only to the chosen ones, artists, who then possess an

aspect of it permanently as the inspiration which dwells within their

b rea sts,

Nature and her Sanctuary

"0 Natur, susse grausame Natur. . . ." ("Geheimnisse," Dichtungen, XI, 263 )

One of the most important and illu siv e supernatural characters

to appear in Hoffmann's works is his personified Nature, a mysterious

goddess and ambivalent mother figure who is mentioned specifically in

at least a dozen works and in d irectly in many o th ers. In her detailed work dealing primarily with "Topf" Jaffe^ sees in the witch Liese a

personification of Hoffmann's nature goddess, whose realm is the

"Reich der Nacht und des Unbewussten," and who behaves in a negative way toward Anselmus because he feared and hated her: "Denn die Natur wendet dem Menschen ste ts diejenige Seite zu, die dessen eigener Ein-

stellung zu ihr entspricht." (Jaffe^ pp. 28^ f.), Jaffe'points out also the sim ila ritie s on the one side between Hoffmann's nature

goddess and the Egyptian goddess Isis, who brings "Irrwahn und

"Kirchenmusik," Dichtungen, XII, 57# "Dichter und Komponist," Dichtungen, X III, 115. 257

Raserei, Krankheit, Tod und Trauer. . . . es ist die ziirnende

Gottin" (p. 276 ), and on the other side, Boehme's personified nature figure, the virgin Sophia:

Diese Jungfrau aber ist Gottes Gleichnis, seine Weisheit, darinnen sich der Geist erblicket, und immer und in Ewig- keit seine Wunder darinne eroffnet. . . . Sie ist ein Zirkel und Model 1, welche uns un^çr Gemüth eroffnet, dass wir sie und in ihr Gott schauen.

Both aspects of Nature are amply dealt with by Hoffmann, who envisioned his goddess, who is seldom called a goddess, but usually referred to as "die Mutter," as the ruler of the original harmonious world:

. . . als die Natur dem Menschen, ihn als ihr liebstes Schosskind hegend und pflegend, die unmittelbare Anschau- ung allés Seins und mit derselben das Verstandnis des hochsten Ideals, der reinsten Harmonie verstattete. . . . ("Brambilla," Dichtungen, III, 323)

However, human beings, spoiled by the bountiful pleasures they enjoyed so effortlessly ("In trager Untatigkeit schwelgten die Kinder der

Natur, und die schonsten Gaben, die sie ihnen bot, achteten sie nicht, sondern traten sie in einfaltigem Mutwillen mit Füssen." ["Dichter und Komponist," Dichtungen, XIII, 124]), and bored by the sim­ p lic ity of th is natural life ("Der Gedanke zersto rte die Anschau- ung. . . ." ["Brambilla," Dichtungen, III, 327]), they turned from

Cf. Jaffe^ pp. 322 f ., quoting from Boehme, "Psychologia vera oder vierzig Fragen von der Seele."

Cf. Novalis, "Die Lehrlinge zu Sais," Die Dichtungen (Heidelberg, 1953), p. 243: . . die alte goldne Zeit . . . in der sie [Natur] den Menschen Freundin, Trosterin, Priesterin und Wunder- taterin war, als sie unter ihnen wohnte und ein himmlischer Umgang die Menschen zu Unsterblichen machte." 258

Nature, who punished them by deserting them, and by introducing war ("Dichter und Komponist," Dichtungen, XIII, 124), horror and fear into the world:

"Vielleicht," fuhr Dagobert fort, "vielleicht liegt darin die Strafe der Mutter, deren Pflege, deren Zucht wir ent­ er teten Kinder entflohen. Ich meine, dass in jener goldnen Zeit, als unser Geschlecht noch im innigsten Einklange mit der ganzen Natur lebte, kein Grauen, kein Entsetzen uns verstorte, eben wei1 es in dem tiefsten Frieden, in der seligsten Harmonie ailes Seins keinen Feind gab, der der- qleichenj.yber uns brinqen konnte." ("Gast," Dichtungen, VI, 104)46

Since this time, Nature--"die Herrscherin allés Seins" ("Brambilla,"

Dichtungen, III, 326)--lives in exile, but her influence is still very much felt, for like Heaven, she is the presenter of talents and human c h a ra c te ristic s, good and bad.

Cacilia war demnach die einzige, die wirklich von der Natur nicht allein mit einem tiefen Sinn fur die Kunst, sondern auch mit einem genial en Produktionsvermogen ausgestattet war. (Quotation of Berganza, "Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 54)

Du merkst, dass sie leider zu den Weibern gehort, die die Natur mit recht bittrer Ironie mystifiziert, indem sie, trotz a llés Straubens zu ewiger Kindheit verdammt. . . . "Herz," Dichtungen, X, 35)

46 The idea that nature punishes humanity is treated as a fixed idea in the very late work "Genesung," Dichtungen, XI, 397.

Cf. "Baron von B,," Dichtungen, I , 266; "Berganza," Dichtungen, XIII, 11 f ., 29, 48; "Brambilla," Dichtungen, III, 275, 287; ElixTere, PW I I , 81; "Falun," Dichtungen, IX, 1#8; "Floh," Dichtungen, III, 556; "Kreisleriana," Dichtungen, I, 3} "Krespel," Dichtungen, I, 255; "Magnétiseur," Dichtungen IX, 49 f .; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 292, 384; SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 439; "Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 276, 294, 328. 259

Nature does not hesitate to use demonic means, when she thinks them necessary ;

Lothar befand sich namlich wieder in der seltsamen Seelen- stimmung, in der er Uberzeugt war, das ganze Leben werde schal und ungeniessbar durch die ewigen moralischen Foppereien des feindlichen Damons, den die Natur dem Men­ schen, den sie behandle wie ein unmLindiges Kind, zur Sei te gestellt als pedantischen Hofmeister, und der nun wie dieser die sUssen Makronen versetze mit b ittre r Arzenei, damit der Junker einen Ekel davor empfinde, nicht mehr davon geniesse und so den guten Magen konserviere, (SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 384)

She selects favorites among humans, whom she furthers in her own varying ways:

Auf Euchars Antlitz hatte die Natur die bedeutungsvol1e Chiffer gedrUckt, mit der sie ihre Lieblinge bezeichnet. Aber Lieblinge der Natur sind die, welche die unendliche Liebe der guten Mutter, ihr tie fste s Wesen ganz zu fassen vermogen, und diese Lieblinge werden nur von Lieblingen verstanden. ("ZusammenhanqDichtungen, XI, 116 f.)

These favorites are usually a r t i s t s , who, as has been mentioned above, are able to understand her language and motives:

Die poetischen GemUter [sind] die Lieblinge der Natur, und toricht sei es zu glauben, dass sie zUrnen sol le, wenn diese Lieblinge darnach trachteten das Geheimnis zu er- rate n , das sie mit ihren Schleiern bedecke, aber nur wie eine gute Mutter, die das kostliche Geschenk den Kindern verhUllt, damit sie sich desto mehr freuen sollen, wenn, ist ihnen die Enthiillung gel ungen, die herrliche Gabe hervorfunkelt. (Opinion of Cyprian, SerapionsbrUder , Dichtungen, XIII, 350)

Even the nonartists selected occasionally, such as Euchar in the example above, must be of a sensitive nature. Thus Giacinta, even before she became an actress, considered herself "ein Nestkind der gUtigen Natur ("Brambilla," Dichtungen, III, 2/1), Peregrinus is described as "ein Schosskind der Natur" ("Floh," Dichtungen, III,

606), as is Don Juan (Dichtungen, I, 150), Alban considered himself 260

a "Schosskind der Natur" and a "Priester des Isis" ("Magnétiseur,"

Dichtungen, IX, 4$, 49). Obviously virtue has nothing to do with

the choices. Toward the rest of mankind. Nature appears indifferent,

or even cruel. Thus Princess Hedwiga comments:

Die Natur ist grausam, sie hegt und pfiegt nur die gesunden Kinder, die kranken ver1 asst sie, ja richtet bedrohliche Wachen gegen ihr Dasein. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 245)

Toward Klein Zaches, Nature seemed to behave like a cruel step­

mother, so that Rosabelverde felt obliged to correct "allés, was die

Natur dem K1einen stie fm ü tte rlich versagt. . , ." ("Zaches," Dichtungen,

III, 220). Nature seems to take on an inimical character even toward

artists when they have arrived at that painful stage in their

development where they realize that her physical manifestations are more than ju st a pattern for copying, but do not yet comprehend her

deeper significance. Thus Berthold:

Die ganze Natur, ihm sonst freundlich lachelnd, ward ihm zum bedrohlichen Ungeheuer, und ihre Stimme, die sonst in des Abendwindes Sauseln, in dem Platschern des Baches, in dem Rauschen des Gebiisches mit süssem Wort ihn begrusste, verklindete ihm nun Untergang und Verderben. ("Jesuiter­ kirche," Dichtungen, VIII, 6/)

Princess Hedwiga experienced a similar change in her relationship with Nature:

Du w eisst, dass mir sonst die Natur nichts war als eine Bi1dergalerie, hingestellt, um die Krafte des Geistes und der Hand zu Uben, aber je tz t is t es anders worden, da ich nichts flihle, nichts ahne a ls ihr Entsetzen, Ich mochte lieber in erleuchtaten Salen zwischen bunter GeselIschaft wandeln, als einsam mit dir in dieser mondhellen Nacht, (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 245)

The fact that art occupies a far smaller place in her life than in that of Berthold is reflected in the vaguer, less personal attitude 261 she feels toward Nature, both in her previous stage of development and now. For her, Nature had been an impersonal, sile n t picture gallery, while Nature had seemed a vocal friend to Berthold, Now

Nature seemed to have a specific message for Berthold (". . . ihre

Stimme . . . verklindete ihm nun Untergang und Verderben"), while

Hedwiga felt only a general fear.

The encompassing character of Nature, unpredictable to man, is well expressed in the following passage from "Meister Wacht";

Die Natur v erfo lg t, ihrer Kinder Schicksal erwagend und bestimmend, ihren eignen dunkeln, unerforschlichen V/eg, und das, was Konvenienz, was im beengten Leben gel tende Heinungen und RUcksichten als wahre Tendenz des Seins feststellen wollen, ist ihr nur das vorwitzige Spiel sich weise dUnkender betorter Kinder, Aber der kurz- sichtige Mensch findet oft in dem Widerspruch der Uber- zeugung seines Geistes mit jenem dunkeln Walten der uner­ forschl ichen Macht, die ihn erst an ihrem mlitterl ichen Busen gehegt und gepflegt und ihn dann verlassen, eine hei 1 lose Ironie; und diese Ironie erfiillt ihn mit Grausen und Entsetzen, wei1 sie sein eignes Ich zu vernichten d roht. Nicht die Palaste der Grossen, nicht fiirstliche Prunkgemacher wahlt die Mutter des Lebens fiir ihre Lieblinge, ("Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 2/1)

Thus in a relatively brief passage Hoffmann equates "Nature" with

"Fate," "the unfathomable force" and "the mother of life," whose actions remain enigmatical and sometimes terrifying to man because he has a limited, human point of view.

The connection between Nature and the Divine is also made in "Magnétiseur," where Alban considers his powers, which elevate him to a position approaching the Divine, a gift of Nature (Dichtungen,

IX, 49), Ottmar believes they are a g ift of God, (IX, 22), and the

Baron believes Alban receives strength from the "Weltgeist" (IX, 34), 262

Since, in this work, Ottmar is portrayed as something of a

"Schwarmer," his opinion is probably to be considered as least accurate. Although the term "Weltgeist" is sometimes used by

Hoffmann to designate the beneficent power, it also has at times a somewhat different significance as it has here, the animating power of the universe, which aspect v/111 be discussed in detail in another section. In the same work, Bickert expresses the opinion that

Humans are ruled by Nature, even when they believe themselves free;

Die ganze Natur mit alien ihren Erscheinungen steht ihm [dem Menschen] nicht sowohl b ei, als sie selbst in Raum und Zeit die

This passage expresses the same basic idea as the frequently quoted statement of Kreisler, who also feels bound by the limitations placed on man by virtue of his human lot:

Sie konnen nicht wegkomman von dem Worte Kreis, und der Himmel gebe, dass Sie dann gleich an die wunderbaren Kreise denken mogen in denen sich unser ganzes Sein bewegt und aus denen wir nicht herauskommen konnen, wir mogen es an stellen , wie wir wollen. In diesen Kreisen kreiselt sich der Kreisler, und wohl mag es sein, dass er o f t, ermUdet von den Sprüngen des St. V eitstanzes, zu dem er gezwungen, rechtend mit der dunklen unerforschlichen Macht, die jene Kreise umschrieb, sich mehr, als es einem Magen, der ohnedies nur schwachlicher Konstitution, zusagt, hinaussehnt ins Freie. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 81)

As artists, Bickert and Kreisler are unusually sensitive to these natural bonds which fasten their s p irits to the physical. The same idea is expressed in "Topf," where only Anselmus notices the re­ straint of the crystal bottle while the prosaic Kreuzschiiler and

Praktikanten consider themselves completely free. 263

The domicile of Nature is as varied as the roles she plays, 48 for it surrounds man in the sensory world, it is a part of the 49 abyss, as was shown in the section on the realm of darkness, and

it is a part of the upper realm.

The fact that Atlantis is as much an idyllic nature realm

as it is the land of poesy has been brought out; in fac t, i t is

mentioned specifically in "Brambilla" as the abode of the nature

goddess:

Es ist nun an der Zeit, dass ich nach Atlantis wandle und aus der Hand der hohen machtigen Konigin das Geschenk empfange, das sie zum Zeichen der Versohnung mir versprach, . . , Lebe wohl, Konig Ophioch I in dreizehn mal dreizehn Monden siehst du mich wieder, ich bringe dir die schonste Gabe der versohnten Mutter. . . . (Dichtungen, III, 327)

In "Topf," the sun is personified as "die Mutter," the source of

life (Dichtungen, III, 22), and the nature goddess appears later even

more characteristically described:

Versuche es, geneigter LeserL in dem feenhaften Reiche voll herrlicher Wunder, die die hochste Wonne sowie das tiefste

48 Like Boehme, Schelling and Schubert attached a great importance to visible nature as a manifestation of God. Thus Schelling, "Kunst," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 397: "Das unendliche A ffirm irtsein Gottes im All, oder die Einbildung seiner unendlichen Idealitat in die Realitat als solche, ist die ewige Natur." Cf. Schubert, Traum, p. 70: "Sie [die Natur] ist die alteste noch vor Augen liegende Offenbarung Gottes an den Menschen, ist auch dasselbe Wort, aus welchem die spateren Offenbarungen sind und von gleichem Inhalte mit diesen. Sie ist dieselbe Sprache, welche die hohere Region der Geisterwelt vom Anfange gesprochen und noch sp ric h t. . . ." /iQ y Jaffa's views of the chthonian nature of Hoffmann's god­ dess have been discussed. Negus' en tire notice of Hoffmann's nature goddess in his book dealing with the original mythology in Hoffmann's works consists of a brief footnote: "Controlling the 'Urdarquelle" is an unidentified maternal goddess, perhaps related to Gaia, since her giant son. Typhon, is also part of the myth. . . . There is a sim ilar goddess in the mine in Die Bergwerke zu Falun." (Negus, p. 143), 264

Entsetzen in gewaltigen Schlagen hervorrufen, ja, wo die ernste Gottin ihren Schleier lüftet, dass wir ihr Antlitz zu schauen wahnen—aber ein Lacheln schimmert oft aus dem ernsten Blick, und das ist der neckhafte Scherz, der in a lle rle i verwirrendem Zauber mit uns s p ie tt, so wie die Mutter oft mit ihren liebsten Kindern tandelt. . . . ("Topf," Dichtungen, III, 31)

This passage indicates the ambivalent character of the nature goddess

and her realm by contrasting "Wonne" with "Entsetzen" and "ernst"

with "Lacheln."

At one time, however. Nature was at home in Urdarland, which

appears appropriate in connection with old Germanic myth dealing with

Urd, a feminine Being who sits beside a spring beneath the tree of

the world, spinning the fates of human beings. Urd is sometimes

considered to be only one of several Germanic fates (Nornen), In

any case, her relationship with man is equally as ambivalent as that

of Hoffmann's nature goddess,w hich may explain Hoffmann's selection

of Urdarland as one of Nature's haunts, and as the location of the

entrance to her exile in the abyss ("Brambilla," Dichtungen, III,

322-326).5*

Jan DeVries, AItgermanische Religionsgeschichte (Berlin, 1956 ), I , 269 f f .î "Aus der Erfahrung, dass im Leben der Menschen Gluck und UnglUck gemischt sind, konnte die Vorstellung entstehen, dass die Nornen teils gut-, teils Ubelgesinnt waren" (p. 2/1).

No mention of her presence is made in the dream vision in "Floh" (Dichtungen, III, 639 f.), unless the old A1ine/Konigin von Golkonda, who was also present in the same story in the idyllic nature land Famagusta, can be considered as a possible Mother Nature, nor in the Famagusta which is the home of Prosper Alpanus ("Zaches"). The land of the dream vision has a character combining elements of nature and Heaven, while Alpanus' home is more oriented toward the artistic- heavenly. 265

The upper realm most closely connected with the nature goddess, however, is the home of the stranger child, Negus skillfully points out a number of nature-related motifs involved in this transcendent 52 world, which is so far away and high up that it is not accessible to human beings--the wonders of nature which ex ist there, the fact that it (like Atlantis) is the home of elemental spirits, the ability of the stranger child to understand the voices of nature, and a dualistic aspect of this realm; "In this story, Hoffmann's other world is a curious combination of remoteness and nearness. The remoteness keeps it superior to common experience; yet it is close by, because its agents in nature make it accessible" (Negus, p. 123).

Nevertheless, Negus overlooks some additional important pieces of evidence that enhance greatly the theory that this is Hoffmann's chief effort at creating a transcendent nature kingdom. The most important omission is the presence of the nature goddess herself, in the form of the stranger child's mother. As the "mightiest fairy there is," she is the queen of this upper nature realm, and the elemental spirits living there serve her. But she also has a hand in living things on earth, where she has been at least partially rejected by people, however :

A llés, was auf der Erde webt und le b t, halt sie mit treuer Liebe umfangen, doch zu ihrem innigen Schmerz wollen viele Menschen gar nichts von ihr wissen. ("Kind," Dichtungen, VII, 115)

Cf. the distance to the Atlantis in "Brambilla": ". . . in dreizehn mal dreizehn Monden siehst du mich wieder. . . ." 266

The negative aspect of this realm and of the nature goddess'

character consists in the possibility that the children there, whom

the goddess'Toves above all else" (Dichtungen, VII, 115), are subject

to great danger, especially when they behave inappropriately, even

without realizing it--the song of the birds may cause them to die,

they may fall to their death off the rainbow, or another kind of

bird may tear open a ch ild 's breast "mit seinem scharfen Schnabel

. . . so dass es blutend aus den Wolken herabfallt" (VII, 116).

Plainly the children are treated as indifferently as Nature's

children on earth, although the stranger child reports that his

mother "grieves" when children are hurt, and rather than submitting

to more "worry and fear" (VII, 117) by allowing an unlimited number

of additional children into her kingdom. Mother Nature allows her

own child to fly to earth, in spite of the danger to it from the 53 evil gnome Pepser.

The presence of the children in Nature's kingdom is the

second point left unexplained by Negus. Since both Felix and C hrist-

lieb (whom Negus erroneously calls "Gottlieb") felt that the stranger

child was an old friend ("Beiden Kindern war es in der Tat so, als

ob sie schon lange das fremde Kind gekannt und mit ihm gespielt

hatten, und als ob ihr Unmut nur daher gerUhrt hatte, dass der liebe

53 In its role as interpreter of the upper realm to the earth, the child is related to the artist, just as its enemy Pepser, who destroys beauty and fantasy wherever he can while persecuting the child and its way of life, is related to the prosaic elements inimical to the arts. 267

Spielkamerad sich nicht mehr blicken lassen." [VII, 10$]), the reader

suspects that they possess a partial memory of their own pre-existence

as two of the children in Nature’s kingdom, before they were born.

I t may be remembered that Schubert suspected that children retained

snatches of memory from their pre-earthly lives (Nachtseite, p, 303).

The fact that Herr von Brackel could suddenly also remember the

stranger child just before he died appears to be another example of

the ability of those approaching death to penetrate more clearly

than others into basic truths.

The great inaccessibility of the realm of Nature introduces

another of Hoffmann's favorite ideas~the theory that it is dangerous 5if to probe too deeply into the secrets of Nature or other trans­

cendental secrets, for this is basically another form of attempted

self-elevation, Jaffe^finds that any form of negative attitude

toward Nature is dangerous;

GleichgUltigkeit, "Vorwitz" oder ichhaft diabolische Be- rechnung gegenUber der Natur scheinen Hoffmann gefahrliche Einstellungen, die den Menschen ins Verderben reissen konnen, (Jaffe' pp, 277 f.)

Howver, it is the impious probing against which Hoffmann warns again

and again:

Wer artig ist, trachtet nicht, wie der neugierige Bube, den Kasten zu zerbrechen, in dem es orgelt, wenn er die aussere Schraube dreht, . . . ("Jesuiterkirche," PW II, 485)

Cf, Underhill, p, 162: "In Levi's [Eliphas Levi] words, 'Too deep a study of the mysteries of nature may estrange from God the careless investigator, in whom mental fatigue paralyses the ardours of the heart.'" 268

"Schon das Wort magnetisch macht mich erbeben," zUrnte der Baron; "aber jeder nach seiner Weise, und wohl euch, wenn die Natur es leid e t, dass ihr mit tappischen Handen an ihrem Schleier zupft, und eure Neugierde nicht mît euerm ^^tergange b e stra ft," ("Magnétiseur," Dichtungen,

The punishment meted out by Nature affronted is severe, and it is hinted that she may turn the su rrep titio u sly gained knowledge its e lf against the unwary spy, just as he misused her trust to obtain it:

. . . entsagen Sie fur immer diesen Geheimnissen. Die Natur, die grausame Mutter, die abhold geworden den ent- arteten Kindern, wirft den vorwitzigen Spahern, die mit keeker Hand an ihrem Schleier zupfen, ein glanzendes Spielzeug hin, das sie verlockt und seine verderbliche Kraft gegen sie selbst ric h te t. (Quotation of S— i , "Gast," Dichtungen, VI, 104)

As was mentioned above. Nature's favorites, as a rule, are not subject to these dangers, for to them she willingly reveals her secrets.

Not only Nature resents Man's tugging at her v e il. Other personified powers, too, hide information from man, usually for his

Cf, Elixiere, PW II, 257? "Floh," Dichtungen, III, 625, 637; "Magnétiseur,** Dichtungen, IX, 5; SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 287; "Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 152,

Cf, "Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 33; "Sanctus," Dichtungen, VIII, 85; SerapionsbrUder, Dichtungen, XIII, 332, 269 own good, and it is dangerous to seek to discover these secrets.

The following are a few examples involving a variety of powers:

Hat es nun der ewigen Macht gefallen, einen Schleier zu werfen Uber das, was vor jenem Martyrertum geschah, ist es nicht eine grausame hei1 lose Teufelei, an diesem Schleier zu zupfenîm (Quotation of Serapion, "Serapion," Dichtungen, X, 12 f.)>*

Exter es ist bald aus mit uns, der kecke Geisterseher klopfte nicht ungestraft an die dunklen Pforten. Ich wiederhole es dir, dass die geheimnisvolle Macht mich hinter den Schleier schauen liess—der nahe, vielleicht grassliche Tod ist mir verkUndet, (Quotation of Reutlinger, "Herz," Dichtungen, X, 44)

"Die Sache wird geheimnisvol1 bleiben," sagte der FUrst, "Wir wollen nicht mehr an dem Schleier zupfen, den ein wunderbares Geschick wohltatig darUber geworfen hat." (Elixiere, PW II, 341)

In summing up the character of Nature, as Hoffmann portrayed her, it is apparent that her scope is broader than that of the other supernatural powers we have discussed so f a r , for she is at home in the upper realm, on earth, and in the realm of darkness. Nature's best interpreters are artists, who also function as intermediaries between man and God. Nature, like the heavenly powers, is considered to be the source of personal tr a its and a b ilitie s , and though she appears to select favorites among mankind, her choice seems arbitrary and subject to reversal. Like the forces of Heaven and Hell, she may punish those guilty of attempting to reduce her position by penetrating

57 Werner, p. 87 , quotes Wackenroder's Klosterbruder": "Ver­ mag der schwache Mensch die Geheimnisse des Himmels aufzuhellen? Glaubt er verwegen ans Licht ziehen zu konnen, was Gott mit seiner Hand bedeckt?"

Cf. Elixiere, PW II, 257» Murr, Dichtungen, V, 293. 270 her secrets. She is a tangible manifestation of the Divine, yet an independent and capricious force in herself, at least from the human point of view, from which her intentions cannot always be

plainly seen. Although he did not personalize Nature as Hoffmann did, Schelling expressed a view similar to Hoffmann's in de­ scribing her character by means of a quotation from Schiller:

Die Gesetze und Absichten der Menschen sind hier kein Gesetz fur die Natur, sie "tritt", um mich wieder einer S telle von Schiller zu bedienen, "die Schopfungen der Weisheit und des Zufalls mit gleicher Achtlosigkeit in den Staub, und reisst das Wichtige wie das Geringe, das Edle wie das Gemeine in einem Untergang mit sich fo rt. Die vol1kommensten Werke und ihre eignen mUhsamsten Erwerbungen verdirbt und verschwendet sie in dem Augen- blick, und bildet dagegen an einem Werke der Thorheit Jahrhunderte lang fort. . .

Fate and Chance

Considering the number of forces which, in Hoffmann's works are able to take a more or less direct part in directing the lives of humans—the inimical forces. Heaven, Nature, spirits, good and evil stars, and other humans—it seems scarcely conceivable that the forces of fate and chance could play a great role in these works.

Yet, these forces are mentioned with great frequency. There is scarcely a work in which "Schicksal," "Verhangnis," "Geschick," and "Zufall" are not credited with some good or bad occurance, a

Schelling, "Kunst," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 486 f . He quotes S ch iller, "Ueber das Erhabene," Taschenausgabe (1847), XII, 292. 271

fact recognized by von Schaukal in setting up a general pattern for

Hoffmann's plots:

Seiner Technik liegt ein ihm notwendiges Schema zugrunde, das ein Dreieck versinnlicht: JUngling und Jungfrau, beide konventionel1 entworfen, aber mit farbiger Ironie (die bis zur Possenhaftigkeit sich versteigt) angelegt, darUber die Spitze, die Vorsehung, der Stern, das Schick­ sal Oder wie man diese "Gegebenheit" nennen mag. (p. 268)

The fact that essentially synonymous words such as "Schicksal,"

"Verhangnis," and "Vorsehung" were enjoying widespread usage in

Hoffmann's day, particularly in connection with the fate tragedies

popular at that time,^^ probably explains in part Hoffmann's fre­ quent employment of them. Except for "Die Rauber" and E lix iere, however, Hoffmann’s works have l i t t l e in common with the melo­ dramatic piling up of coincidences common in the fate tragedies.

The mechanistic idea of the universe is treated ironically in

"Zusammenhang der Dinge" (Dichtungen, XI, IO 3 ), where i t is the theory accepted by the flig h ty Ludwig, and in "Artushof" (Dichtungen,

VIII, 10 f.), where it is introduced as the theory of a physics professor, who is obviously of the same ilk as Professor Mosch Terpin

in "Zaches" and Leuwenhoek and Swammerdamm in "Floh" sc ie n tists who seek to explain natural phenomena by destroying their wonders. A more serious reference to this theory appears in "Rauber," where

August Langen, Deutsche Sprachgeschichte vom Barock bis zur Gegenwart (Berlin, n .d .) , p. 269 .

In "Magnétiseur" a series of significant events occur on September 9, but th is is l i t t l e stressed . 272

Willibald and Hartmann felt themselves pulled into the strangely

familiar events enveloping the Bohemian castle:

Das unheimlich Seltsame hauft sich zu sehr, und es will mich bedUnken, dass wir dem Raderwerk, das hier ein besonderes bbses Verhangnis zu treiben sch ein t, zu nahe kommsn und von dem Schwungrad ergriffen unaufhaltsam hineingeschleudert warden konnten ins Varderben. ("Raubar, Dichtungen, IX, 321)

Similar statements are found in the same work on page 352 and also in

"Meister Wacht," where the dangers of interrupting the mechanism of

fate are stressed (Dichtungen, X, 310 f.), a prospect which Meister

Abraham ironically contemplated because it appeared that "a male­

volent spirit operated the machinery falsely" (Murr, Dichtungen, V,

322 f.). In the same work, Hedwiga expressed her dissatisfaction

with her physician,

. , . der die menschliche Natur zu handhaben vermeint wie ein Uhrwerk, das man abstauben, aufziehen muss'. Grauenhaft ist er mir mit seinen Tropfen, mit seinen Essenzeni Von diesen Dingen soil mein Wohl abhangig sein? So ware ja das Leben hienieden eine entsetzliche Neckerei des Weltgeistesi (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 373)

The author of the particular fate in question is very impor­

tant in considering its significance. Thus, whenever "Verhangnis" is used (usually preceded by one or more adjectives, as "das bbse ent­

setzliche Verhangnis," "ein finstres, undurchschauliches Verhangnis"),

it usually appears as a true inimical force, acting purposefully to

bring disaster to its unfortunate victim:

Ich freute mich auf die Residenz, denn es war mir, als sol le dort die Last des schweren fin stern Verhangnisses, die mich niederdrUckt, mir entnommen werden, ja als wiirde ich mich d ort, e rk ra ftig t, der bbsen Macht, die mein Leben befangen, entreissen kbnnen. (Quotation of Medardus, Elixiere, PW II, 148 f .) 273

. . . sollten Sie mich nicht schon oft unter den Schrecknissen des fUrchterlichsten Verhangnisses erblickt haben, nicht schon oft von dem ungeheuern Geschick erschUttert worden sein, das mich so grimmig erfasste? (Quotation of Amalia, "Rauber," Dichtungen IX, 350)

Sometimes a human being may act as a personified "Verhangnis,"

eith er toward others or himself. Thus Napoleon acted as "das dunkle feindliche Verhangnis, das Uber Spanien zu walten schien," ("Zu­

sammenhang," Dichtungen, XI, 135 f . ) ; Medardus was certain that he was destined to possess Aurelie:

Ja, es is t gewiss, dass sie noch mein wird, denn das Ver­ hangnis waltet, dem sie nicht entgehen kann; und bin ich nicht selbst dieses Verhangnis? (Elixiere, PW II, 117. Cf. p. 100)} and Franz believed he harbored his dark fate within himself in the form of his unrequited passion for Amalia:

Ja, ich bin . . . nur ein UnglUcklicher, den ein schwarzes Verhangnis erfasst, dem schmerzlichsten qualvollsten lode geweiht hat—und dieses Verhangnis ruht unvertilgbar in seiner eigenen Brust. . . .

Und doch, indem ich mich selbst als einen Wahnsinnigen betrachte, kann ich nicht lassen von der, die in meinem Wesen leband mein Wesen zerstort I ("Rauber," Dichtungen, IX, 317, 320)

For Rosabelverde, the Enlightenment, which had stripped her of most of her powers, was "das feindselige Verhangnis" ("Zaches,"

III, 123), while in the same work, Balthasar never missed a lecture

A2 Cf. "Aus dem Leben dreier Freunde," Dichtungen, VIII, I 56 ; "Brambilla," Dichtungen, I I I , 346, 374; "Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, V III, 177, 225; E lix ie re , PW I I , 54, 60 , 72, IO 5 , 213, 236, 306; "Irrungen," Dichtungen, XI, 203; "Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 80; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 292, 303; "Rauber," Dichtungen, IX, 328, 344, 352; "Scuderi," Dichtungen, II, 214; Serapionsbruder, Dichtungen, XIII, 401; "Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 178; Letter to Hippel, Jan. 27, 1819. 274 at Mosch Terpin's house, even though he despised the professor's methods :

Eine unbekannte Gewalt zieht mich jeden Morgen hinein in Mosch Ter pins Haus. Ich fühle im voraus meine tiualen, und doch kann ich nicht widerstehen, ein dunkîes Verhangnis reisst mich fort I ("Zaches," Dichtungen, III, 143)

In this unusual use of "Verhangnis," it is Balthasar's love for

Candida, Terpin's daughter, which is meant. The possibility of escaping one's "Verhangnis" by changing one's course of action is specifically mentioned in "Topf" and "Rauber," and indeed this escape is successful in the latter case.

A humorous use of "Verhangnis" occurs in the Kreisler portion of Murr, where Meister Abraham had arranged an elaborate outdoor celebration:

Nun wollte es aber das dunkle Verhangnis, dass eine grosse Feuerlilie dem Fursten gerade auf die Nase fiel und sein ganzes Gesicht glutrot Uberstaubte, wodurch er ein ungemein majestatisches, der Feierlichkeit des Festes wUrdiges An- sehen gewann. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 23 f .)

Perhaps Hoffmann's most interesting and unusual application of

"Verhangnis" occurs in the fairy tale "Nussknacker und Mausekonig," where it is relen tlessly sa tiriz ed ;

"Was bedeutet das mit dem Konditor, guter Herr Drosselmeier?" fragte Marie. "Ach, beste Demoiselle Stahlbaum," erwiderte Nussknacker, "Konditor wird hier eine unbekannte aber sehr grauliche Macht genannt, von der man glaubt, dass sie aus dem Menschen machen konne, was sie wollej es ist das Verhangnis, welches Uber dies kleine lustige Volk regiert, und sie fUrchten dieses so sehr, dass durch die blosse Nennung des Namens der grosste Tumult g e s tillt werden kann, wie es eben der Herr BUrgermeister bewiesen hat. Ein jeder denkt dann nicht me hr an Irdisches, an Rippenstosse und Kopfbeulen, sondern geht in sich und spricht: "Was ist der Mensch, und was kann aus ihm werden?" (Dichtungen, VII, 72 f.) 275

To the inhabitants of the sugar kingdom, the confectioner is logically

an object of fear and awe. In spite of the humor of this situation,

a serious note on Hoffmann's part cannot be overlooked: even the most

idyllic land of the imagination is not without an inimical force,

"Schicksal" (also "Gliick" and "Geschick") are sometimes used just as negatively as "Verhangnis," again stressing purposeful action:

, . , so war es gewiss, dass irgend ein feindseliges Schicksal den Fremdling von guter Geburt in die unterste Klasse des Volks geschleudert haben musste, ("Doge," Dichtungen, X, 128)

Humorous situations involving an inimical "Schicksal" occur

in Murr, where Murr blamed inimical fate for his landing in the gutter and losing a fight with another cat (Dichtungen, V, 2$4), and in

"Zusammenhang," where Ludwig blamed his mistaking another girl for his beloved Viktorine, and beginning to propose marriage to her on "die

Tucke des feindlichen Schicksals" (Dichtungen, XI, 121),

"Schicksal" ("Gluck" and "Geschick") frequently acts just as purposefully for good as for evil:

, . , ich [hatte] unfehlbar den Hals gebrochen, wenn das Gluck nicht einen Wagen mit Wollsacken vorbeigefuhrt hatte, , . , ("Blandina," Dichtungen, VII, 322)

Cf. "Blandina," Dichtungen, VII, 331» "Dichter und Kom- ponist," Dichtungen, XIII, 115» 98» Ûoge," Dichtungen, X, 167» "Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 171 f.j "Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 215 f.» "Jesuiterkirche," PW II, 490; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 68, 85 f ,, 189, 293 f .» "Spielergliick," Dichtungen, XI, 74, 80 f ,; Letters to Hippel, April 1, 1798 and July 27» 1814; Letter to Speyer, May 1, 1820,

Cf, "Brambilla," Dichtungen, III, 3IO; "Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 238; Elixiere, PW II, 61 ; "Geheimnisse," Dichtungen, XI, 242; "Irrungen," Dichtungen, XI, I 78 ; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 125, 349; Letter to Hippel, May, 1808, 276

In its positive connotation, "Schicksal" is often thought not only

to act directly, but to give warnings and suggestions:

Doch nun, Mathilde, meine herzliebe Tochter Mathilde, horche wohl auf, was die Stimme des Schicksals zu deinen E ltern, zu dir so warnend sp ric h t, dass es sündlicher Frevel wace, ihrer nicht zu achten. ("Feind, Pichtungen I I , 302)^2

The relationship between Providence and fate is expressed by

Schelling:

Auch das Schicksal ist Vorsehung, aber im Realen angeschaut, so wie die Vorsehung das Schicksal i s t , aber im Idealen angeschaut. ("Kunst," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 449)

Very frequently the eternal force and Heaven play the role of fate

in Hoffmann's works. They cannot, however, be considered a perfect

counterpart to the inim ically directed "Verhangnis," for sometimes

the heavenly powers determine tragic fates as well as happy ones.

In dem unerforschlichen Ratschlusse der ewigen Macht lag es aber, dass gerade in dieser Zeit der hochsten Kümmernis und Not der bedrangten Herde der treue Hirte entrissen werden soli te . ("Doge," Di chtungen, X, 124)

An ihm liegt es nicht, dass ich nicht unaussprechlich elend wurde, er tat das Seinige dazu, doch deg/Himmel wollt' es nicht —("Majorat," Dichtungen, II, 129)

Cf. "Artushof," Dichtungen, VIII, 29» "Herz," Dichtungen, X, 26.

Cf. "Doge," Dichtungen, X, 133; "Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 201; Elixiere, PW II, 218 f. 232, 342, 356; "Geheimnisse," Dichtungen, XI, 294; "Majorat," Dichtungen, I I , 115, 155, 157» "Meister Martin," Dichtungen, X, 206; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 215» "Zusammenhang," Dichtungen, XI, 129. 277

For Schubert, " fa te ” and "Providence" were synonymous:

Nur der Genius, welcher Uber den Schicksalen der Einzelnen wie Uber die Geschichte des ganzen Geschlechts waltet,. wird die mannigfaltigen, und ofters sich wiederstreitenden Be- strebungen der verschiedenen Zeiten zuletzt in seeliger Harmonie vereinen, (Nachtseite, p. 38O)

Certainly Hoffmann expressed a similar thought at various widely

separated times in his life. Thus in a letter to Hippel, written on

March 6, I 8O6 , he expressed his resignation to his career as a jurist,

in spite of his distaste for it:

Je alter ich werde, mein Freund, desto bestimmter entwickelt sich mein Selbst dazu, wozu es das hohere Walten, wogegen der Mensch vergebens mit seinen kleinlichen Ab- und Ein- sichten einzugreifen wagt, bestimmt hatte.

More than seven years later, in a letter written to Kunz on September 8,

1813, he reminisced about the evenings spent in Kunz' wine cellar;

Was ist der Mensch o Gotti pflegte ich dann oft andachtig zum Himmel blickend zu sagen, wenn mir der Chambertin Prima recht gut mundete, in diesem Ausruf Uber die Nichtigkeit allés menschlichen Tuns und Treibens trostete mich aber gerade die Überzeugung vom Gegenteil--denn nie fUhlte ich die Herrlichkeit des 1 ebendi gen Lebens mehr als eben da I und jener Ausruf war so gut wie die Ausforderung eines unbekannten Widersachers im hochsten Uebermute, so wie im Shakespear die besoffnen Schlingel die unverwundbare Luft mit ihren Streichen zu verletzen trachten l--Lassen Sie meinen zweiten Spruch: Es ist allés Einsl—nicht aus Gedanken und Herzen I—Das Vertrauen auf jene Hand, die sich Uber das All erstreckt, und wie der geschickte Maschinist des Marionetten- Theaters jeden Faden zu rechter Zeit zu bewegen weiss ist in jetziger Zeit recht notig—

Cf, Z, Funck, p, 31 > regarding Hoffmann's reaction to the news of his opportunity to come to Bamberg; , , ich , , , ward, wie ich dies nie im Leben so machtig gefUhlt, ordent 1ich ganz relig io s gestimmt, wei1 ich die Hand der Vorsehung darin zu erblicken g lau b te,'" 278

This passage hints at possible dangers in defying fate, an idea

expressed much more strongly in the introduction to Elixiere, which was begun the following year;

Nachdem ich die Papiere des Kapuziners Medardus recht emsig durchgelesen, . . . war es mir auch, als konne das, was wir insgemein Traum und Einbildung nennen, wohl die symbolische Erkenntnis des geheimen Fadens sein, der sich durch unser Leben zieht, es festknUpfend in alien seinen Bedingungen, als sei der aber fur verloren zu achten, der mit jener Erkenntnis die Kraft gewonnen glaubt, jenen Faden gewaltsam zu zerreissen und es aufzunehmen mitgder dunklen Macht, die Uber uns gebietet, (PW I I , 8 f.)

The letter to Kunz and Elixiere both fall into the period designated by Hans von Muller as Hoffmann's "demonic period" between 1812 and

1817j during which time Hoffmann was particularly occupied with the role of fate as represented by good and evil forces (KUnstlerisches

Schaffen, p. 28). Indeed, the statement of the "editor" in Murr

(written much later, in 1821) regarding the placing of one's trust in the eternal force seems to be made from a position elevated over that of fate's victim, chafing at his bonds:

Auf zwei Momente aus dem Leben des geliebten Kapellmeisters war bemeldeter Herausgeber besonders begierig , . , namlich, auf welche Wei se Meister Abraham in die Familie geriet und einwirkte auf den kleinen Johannes, und welche Katastrophe den ehrlichen Kreisler aus der Residenz warf und umstempelte zum Kapellmeister, welches er hatte von Haus aus sein sollen, wiewohl man der ewigen Macht trauen d a rf, die jeden zu rechter Zeit an die rechte Stelle setzt. (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 136)

Cf. "Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 248; Elixiere, PW II, 222; "Meister Martin," Dichtungen,24], 253» Murr,Dichtungen, V, 264 f . 279

The elevated position is provided by experience. Though Hoffmann/

Kreisler knew he should have been a musician "von Haus aus," Hoffmann/ the Biographer, having experienced the difficulties of surviving ex­ clusively as an artist, realized that the status quo was very prob­ ably the more desirable. Thus Hoffmann's attitude developed from grudging resignation to his lot, through defiance toward his fate, to gradual acceptance of his life as it was, which was reflected in the fact that his fictional heroes no longer found it necessary to flee to Atlantis to find fulfillment, but rather found it in reality, if at a ll .

Closely related to the power of fate in Hoffmann's works is that of chance. According to Heilborn, chance does not exist for

Hoffmann, but is equated with "the invisible hand of the Eternal

Force":

Neinj Hoffmann, dieser Hazardeur der Phantasie, hat immer und in allem grellen Widerspiel flackernden Lebens und wechselnder Begebnisse eine durchaus schicksalgebundene Welt gestaltet. . . . Nein; diese Phantasie suchte in der F reiheit Bindung, hinter diesen Menschen und Masken und Fratzen stand in fUhlbarer Naturnahe Schicksal. (pp. 124 f.)

Heilborn's theory is supported by Hoffmann himself, in a letter to Kunz, written March 24, I8l4, regarding Elixiere;

Es ist darin nichts geringeres abgesehen, als in dem krausen, wunderbaren Leben eines Mannes, Uber den schon bei seiner Geburt die himmlischen und damonischen Machte w alteten, jene geheimnisvollen VerknUpfungen des mensch- 1ichen Geistes mit all' den hohern Prinzipien, die in der ganzen Natur verborgen und nur dann und wann hervorblitzen, welchen Blitz wir dann Zufall nennen, recht klar und deutlich zu zeigen. 280

Additional examples in which chance, fa te , and Heaven are equated, abound. Thus Giglio was searching for the house of Bescapi:

Das Schicksal oder der Zufall wollte es jedoch, dass er, endlich auf den spanischen Platz geraten, gerade vor Bescapi's Haus stand. . . . ("Brambilla," Dichtungen, I I I , 306)

After spending the night a prisoner in Bescapi's house, Giglio was told by the former:

Nicht wahr, Ihr befindet Euch besser liebster Signor? . . . Der Himmel fUhrte Euch ip-Euerm bosen Paroxismus in mein Haus. . . . ( I l l , 308)

Further analysis shows that chance acts in just as purposeful a manner as fate .

Ohne mich darum waiter zu kUmmern, beschloss ich d e m mich ganz zu fiigen, was der Zufall Uber mich verhangt haben wUrde, wenn die Baronesse^angekommen und mich gesehen. (Elixiere, PW I I , 75)

It may be negative in character: "Der Zufall ist ein neckischer und neckender Spukgeistl" ("Irrungen," Dichtungen, XI, 222) or positive:

" . . . nach seiner innersten Überzeugung hatte nur der Zufall ihn, wo nicht vom lode, doch von der Gefahr, wahnwitzig zu werden, befreit." ("Topf," Dichtungen, III, 26). Typically, the theme

Cf. "Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 226; "Herz," Dichtungen, X, 25; "Irrungen," Dichtungen, XI, 197» Murr, Dichtungen, V, 291 f .; "Rauber," Dichtungen, IX, 303-307-317; "Spielergluck," Di chtungen , XI,

Cf. "Doppeltganger," Dichtungen, VIII, 182, 196; Elixiere, PW II, 59, 73 f., 78 f ., 91, 147, 156 f .; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 31O; "Wacht," Dichtungen, X, 319, 324, 281 of chance in connection with the powers of Nature and the inimical force is satirized most humorously in a late work, Murr, in Kater

Hinzmann's eulogy for his comrade Muzius, who died as a re su lt of a leg wound suffered in a traps

0, kann es die Natur zulassen, dass das, was sie auf lange Dauar mUhsam konstruiert hat, vor der Zeit zerstort werde, oder gibt es wirklich einen finstern Geist, Zufall genannt, der in despotischer, frevelnder Willkiir hineingreifen darf in die Schwingungen, die allés Sein dem ewigen Naturprinzip gemass zu bedingen scheinen? (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 404)

From the above examples, it appears evident that Hoffmann did assign the machinations of fate and chance to the various superhuman powers above and below, working in opposition to each other and alternately influencing human beings in varying ways. The conception of fate thus created is quite different from the traditional one of preordained rigidity, absolute and inescapable. Rather there emerges a picture of life displaying many possibilities, for any of the fateful powers may at any time burst into the life of the indi­ vidual, then withdraw just as rapidly, often without leaving even a hint of their identities.It is then the responsibility of the individual to u tiliz e or overcome the boon or burden thrust upon him according to his own ability and strength of character.

The forces involved are not always positively identified, and "a dark power" is not necessarily negative. Thus: "Aurelie mein Weibl—Das Weib eines verbrecherischen Monchs'. Nein I so wollen es die dunklen Machte nicht, mag auch Uber die Arme verhangt sein, was da will I" (Elixiere, PW II, 237). Cf. Elixiere, PW II, 226, 238, 303, 344; "Jesu iterk irch e," PW I I , 484; "Kampf," Dichtungen, X, /6; "Floh," Dichtungen, III, 641. 282

The World S p irit

As has been mentioned above, the appellations "Weltgeist,"

"Geist der Wei ten," "der ewige Geist," and the like are among the designations used by Hoffmann for God or the beneficent force. At times, however, "Weltgeist" appears to have a somewhat different significance, used at least partly in the sense of the traditional

Christian "Holy Ghost" or "Holy S p irit," the divine bond of love

"which seems to partake at once of the transcendental and the created world" (Underhill, p. 116), "the indwelling Spirit which is the source of man's transcendental consciousness and his link with the Being of God" (Underhill, p. 109), that which is usually called his soul. Thus Meister Abraham identifies the Weltgeist as the divine love which dwells in the human breast: "... l*n mir glUhte alle Liebe, die der ewige Weltgeist selbst ist" (Murr,

Dichtungen, V, 489). Kreisler, too, connects the Weltgeist with the elevated artist's love—"jene Liebe, die nicht in Raum und Zeit bedingt, die ewig ist wie der W eltgeist. . ." (Murr, Dichtungen, V, 312),

Hoffmann's Weltgeist is also connected with Schelling's

"Weltseele"—the motivating life force that is common to all living things

DUrfen wir nun das Uber Natur und Geisterwelt schwebende Wesen als allgemeine Seele, als die im Ganzen wohnende

Schelling equated "Weltgeist" with "Creator," not necessarily in an exclusively Christian sense. Cf. "Kunst," Werke, Hauptband I I I , 462 f f . 283

kUnstlerische Weisheit betrachten, so folgt von selbst, dass jenes Verborgenste in der Natur, weiI ein jener allgemeinen Seele Verwandtes, auch selbst ein seelenartiges Wesen sey. . . .

Das e rste Bewegende (primum Movens) im Universum is t daher all ein das Gemiith der ewigen Natur oder die h eilig e Seele der Welt, die a lle Dinge s te ts in sich auflosend und gleichsam verzehregd, das erste und vornehmste Werkzeug der Ewigkeit ist.

Thus Theodor, feeling renewed in body and s p ir it after a long illn e s s , tells the Serapionsbruder:

In der Tat, man muss so krank gewesen sein als ich, um dieses GefUhls fahig zu werden, das, Geist und GemUt starkend, die eigentliche Lebensarzenei scheint, welche die ewige Macht, der waltende Weltgeist uns selbst un- mi ttel bar spendet.--Aus meiner eigenen Brust weht der belebende Hauch der Natur. (Serapionsbruder, Dichtungen , X III, 387 f .)

In this same connection, the world of nature is called "the eternal temple of the World Spirit" and the lives of artists and natural scientists who work with nature "ein steter Gottesdienst" therein

("Datura," Dichtungen, IX, 23O). Just as Schelling connected

"aether" and "artistic wisdom" with the world soul, so did Hoffmann connect the least tangible and most ethereal form of a r t —music— with his World Spirit:

Keine Kunst, glaube ich, geht so ganz und gar aus der inneren Vergeistigung des Menschen hervor, keine Kunst bedarf nur einzig rein geistiger atherischer Mittel, als die Musik. Die Ahnung des Hochsten und Heiligsten, der geistigen Macht, die den Lebensfunken in der ganzen Natur entzUndet, spricht sich horbar aus im Ton, und so wird Musik, Gesang, der Ausdruck der hochsten FLille des Daseins— Schbpferlob I (Serapionsbruder, Dichtungen, XIII, 371)

Jaffe^ p. 487 , quoting Schelling, "Die Weltalter"; Schelling, "W eltseele," Werke, Hauptband I, 637. 284

From this point, the association with the mythical music of the spheres is only a short step;

Unmoglich kannst du die Macht unseres psychischen Prinzips wegleugnen, unmoglich dein Ohr verschliessen wollen den wunderbaren Anklangen, die in uns hinein, aus uns heraus- tonen, der geheimnisvollen Spharenmusik, die das grosse unwandelbare Lebensprinzip der Natur selbst ist. (Serapionsbruder, Dichtungen XIII, 330)

The equating of the music of the spheres with the World Spirit forms yet another connection with Nature, for this combined divine phenom­ enon was already present during the golden age of harmony:

Ein Nachhall aus der geheimnisvollen Tiefe dieser Urzeit ist die herrliche Sage von der Spharenmusik, welche mich schon als Knabe . . . mit inbrünstiger Andacht erfUllte. . . . ("Automate," Dichtungen, I, I 89)

The fact that Nasi as sang "a wonderful song about the seven planets and the heavenly music of the spheres" ("Kampf," Dichtungen, X, 102) intimates that the World Spirit is, indeed, a universal animating force, a source of inspiration in its most basic sense for every kind of living being, the demonic as well as the earthly and the Divine, Thus it is e n tirely plausible that Alban absorbed strength from the World

S pirit ("Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 34), as did O'Malley ("Elemen­ ta rg e is t," Dichtungen, VI, 22/), and it is through Alban and O'Malley that the connection between Hoffmann's World Spirit and the human unconscious becomes most plain, for the human unconscious is a part of the area in which the World Spirit functions, or perhaps it may be called a part of the World Spirit itself, a kind of astral plane which is described by Schubert, who regularly designates the 285 unconscious as that part of man which was originally most closely connected with God (Traum, p. 80);

Endlich werden wir in mannigfaltigen Erscheinungen, das Eingreifen eines kUnftigen hoheren Oaseyns, in das jetzige minder vollkommene anerkennen, und wie der tie f im Innern unseres Wesens schlummernde Keim eines neuen Lebens, in gewissen Momenten, wo die Krafte des jetzigen ruhen, deutlich hervorblickt, Hier ist es vorzüglich, wo alle die Erscheinungen, welche jenen Thatsachen eigent 1ich ihren Nahmen gegeben haben, die des thierischen Magnetismus, der Vorahndungen, Traume, Sympathien und dergleichen, zusammen eintreten werden, (Nachtseite, p. 22)

Thus O'Malley claims "association with higher spiritual natures"

("Elementargeist," Dichtungen, VI, 226) and Alban calls himself a

"king of spirits" ("Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 45), who is able to penetrate "das hohere Leben" (IX, 4D), While Alban works with s p irits of the living, O'Malley apparently communicates with spirits of the physically dead, but their meeting place is the same—the all-encom­ passing self of the World Spirit, Again the danger is stressed in penetrating unbidden into an area belonging to a supernatural force:

Wer mag frevelich und vermessen eindringen wollen in das tiefste Geheimnis der Natur, wer mag erkennen, ja nur deutlich ahnen wollen das Wesen jenes geheimnisvollen Bandes, das Geist und Korper verknUpft und auf diese Wei se unser Sein bedingt, Auf diese Erkenntnis ist aber doch der Magnetismus ganz eigentlich basiert, (Serapionsbruder, Dichtungen, XIII, 330)

Der Reiz, in einer hohern Geisterwelt zu existieren, sei fur poetische oder . . , exaltierte Gemiiter zu.yerlockend, , . , (Serapionsbruder, Dichtungen, XIII, 341)

Cf, Jaffe^ p, 488,

Cf, Murr, Dichtungen, V, 353 f ., where it is love which is called "das geheimnisvolle Band, das Geist und Korper verbindet,"

Cf, "Fragment," Dichtungen, VIII, 126; "Automate," Dichtungen I, 16/, 173 f . 286

At ths same time, however, the treasures freely given by the World

S p irit to man in the form of dreams and daydreams, prophetic trances and spontaneous telepathy, help us to transcend and enhance our present lives by granting us glimpses of the glories yet to come:

Welch eine herrliche Welt liegt in unserer Brust verschlossen I . . . Wie so tot, so bettelarm, so maulwurfsblind war unser Leben, hatte der Weltgeist uns Soldiinge der Natur nicht ausgestattet mit jener unversieglichen Diamantgrube in unserm Innern, aus der uns in Schimmer und Glanz das wunderbare Reich a u fstra h lt, das unser Eigentum g e w o rd e n ("B ra m b illa ," Dichtungen, III, 337 f.)

In conclusion, then, Hoffmann's final superhuman force, the impartial World Spirit, who is the same as its realm and is symbolized by music, represents the essence and totality of universal love and life, the binding force that connects Nature, man, the beneficent and the inimical forces as long as their s p irits endure:

Nun l--immer waiter fort und fort treibt der waltende Welt­ geist; nie kehren die verschwundenen Gestalten, so wie sie sich in der Lust des Lebens bewegten, wieder; aber ewig, unverganglich ist das Wahrhaftige, und eine wunderbare Geistergemeinschaft schmiegt ihr geheimnisvolles Band um Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft. (Serapionsbruder, Dichtungen, XIII, 377 f .)

Cf. "Floh," Dichtungen, III, 570: "Seit der Zeit, dass das Chaos zum bildsamen Stoff zusammengeflossen--es mag etwas lange her sein—formt der Weltgeist alle Gestaltungen aus diesem vorhandenen Stoff und aus diesem geht auch der Traum mit seinen Gebilden hervor. Skizzen von dem was war oder vielleicht noch sein wird, sind diese Gebilde, die der Geist schnell hinwirft zu seiner Lust, wenn ihn der Tyrann, Korper genannt, seines Sklavandienstes entlassen." See also Elixiere, PW II, 97» "Magnétiseur," Dichtungen, IX, 18; Murr, Dichtungen, V, 392. CHAPTER VIII

CONCLUSION

From the foregoing chapters, it is apparent that Hoffmann conceived of his world as the center of an active, dynamic universe, the object of multiple forces, demonic. Divine, and indifferent, moving to direct it from above and below, ignited into life by the

World Spirit, and nurtured or deprived by the forces of Nature and human society. In the center of this feverish activity, buffeted from all sides, desperately striving to retain his identity even as he sought to absorb and yet reflect to others that which was good and beautiful—the sensitive man, the artist, Hoffmann himself.

We have seen that determination of the exact nature of the various inimical forces involved in Hoffmann's writings is com­ plicated by the fact that there are no clear borders between the various aspects of these forces, but rather than they run into each other and overlap among themselves, extend into the world of human beings by means of their representatives and some shared areas, and even have some common ground with certain aspects of the beneficent forces of the upper realms, where the differences that exist are extremely subtle. The difficulty of classifying these forces exactly was apparent to Hoffmann himself, for he repeatedly referred to them as being "unerforschlich," "undurchschaulich," and the like.

287 288

Although the entire sphere of activity on all levels of the universe, as Hoffmann described it, was surrounded by the activating, all- encompassing World Spirit, this apparently constituted the only element which formed a link with each of the other powers. There is l i t t l e evidence that Hoffmann had pondered to any appreciable extent or with a positive result on the theory, widespread during the eighteenth century, that all things in the cosmos bear a dis­ tinct relationship to each other. This lack of a definite cosmic frame of reference on Hoffmann's part is recognized by Werner, who also points to Hoffmann's substitution of personal and variable impressions for such a system;

. . . doch hat Hoffmann ein streng in sich gegliedertes, logisch zusammengefUgtes weltanschauliches System nicht besessen. Zwar griff er auf einen nicht allzu grossen Vorrat standi g wiederkehrender Themen und Motive zurlick, zwar durchziehen gewisse Leitgedanken sein gesamtes Schaffen, mit deren Hilfe er die vielfaltigen Erscheinungen des Lebens zu bewaltigen und zu ordnen versuchte, doch ordnete und gliederte er in vielen Fallen nicht nach logischen, systematischen Gesichtspunkten, sondern auf Grund von gedanklichen nicht bewaltigten GefUhlen. So stellte er ein und diesel be Erscheinung oft in verschieden- artige Zusammenhange, beurteilte sie aus entgegengesetzten Gesichtspunkten, fUhlte sich von ihr bald angezogen, bald abgestossen. (pp. 102 f.)

Perhaps the only permanently valid characteristic consistently applicable to all the forces dealt with in Hoffmann's thinking is their ambivalence, and even this is a characteristic of great subjectivity. Thus, by Hoffmann's definition, as it is expressed in his writings, any force which furthered the lofty pursuits of the artistic and sensitive man was a beneficent force. That which sought, through malice or indifference, to thwart and destroy his genius, was an inimical force. 289

Experience as much as any of the forces he wrote about molded Hoffmann's point of view. Thus, that which appeared at

f i r s t an inimical stumbling block placed between him and the world of art—his career as a jurist--eventually became "the secure harbor" from which his mind, freer now to concentrate on his artistic pursuits than when he depended upon them exclusively, could

soar all the higher into his beloved "upper realm," and the frustra­

tion of his love for Julia Mark developed into the central theme of his finest works.

The reader suspects that it is Hoffmann himself uttering

these words of the alternately inane and profound Peter Schonfeld/

Pietro Belcampo, who, like E. T. W. and E. T. A. Hoffmann, was his own "Doppeltganger";

"Ach--ach, ach?' seufzte er, indem sich sein Gesicht auf komische Wei se w einerlich verzog, "wie soil ich denn her- kommen, ehrwurdiger Herr, wie soil ich denn herkommen anders, als geworfen—geschleudert von dem bosen Verhangnis, das alle Genies verfolgt ?' ( E lix ie re , PW I I , 267 )

But thrown and flung as he was, even during his last painful illness,

Hoffmann wanted to live, to continue the struggle "unter welcher

Bedingung es auch sein moge."' An examination of his creative works

in the arts, produced despite a life unusually plagued by misfortune, unfailingly reveals the fact that for Hoffmann, the inimical forces were ever subordinate to his genius.

' Hitzig, description of Hoffmann's last months. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Editions of Hoffmann*s Works

Ern^, Nino (ed.), T. A. Hoffmann; Gesammelte Werke. Vol. V. Hamburg: Standard-Verlag, 1965.

Harich, Walther (ed.). E. I . A. Hoffmann: Dichtungen und S chriften, sowie Briefe und Tagebucher. \5 v o ls. Weimar: Erich Lichtenstein, 1924.

Seidel, Gerhard (ed .). E. I . A. Hoffmann: Poetische Werke. 6 vols. Berlin: Aufbau-Uerlag, 19531

Works Regarding Hoffmann and Romanticism

Bach, Rudolf. Deutsche Romantik. Hamburg: Claassen & Goverts, 1948,

Benz, Richard. Oje deutsche Romantik. Leipzig: Philip Reclam jun., Verlag, 1937.

Benz, Richard. Marchen-Dichtung der Romantiker. Gotha: Verlag von Friedrich Andreas Perthes, A. G., 1908.

Bergengriin, Werner. E. T. A. Hoffmann. Zurich: Die Arche, I960.

Dahmen, Hans. "E. Th. A. Hoffmann und G. H. Schubert," L iteratu r- wissenschaftliches Jahrbuch der GorresgeselIschaft, I TÏ92ST1------

Dahmen, Hans. "E. T. A. Hoffmann's Weltanschauung," Beitrage zur deutschen Literaturwissenschaft (1929).

Egli, Gustav. _E. I. A. Hoffmanns Personlichkeit. Zurich: Art. Institut 07e11-Fuss1i , 192?1

El lin g er, Georg. T. A. Hoffmann. Sei n Leben und sei ne Werke. Hamburg: "Verlag von Leopold Voss, I#94.

Ermatinger, Emil. Deutsche Dichter 1750-1900. Frankfurt am Main: Athenaum Verlag, 1961.

Funck, Z. [C. F. Kunz]. Aus dem Leben zweier Dichter; Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann's und Friedrich Gottlob Wetzel's. Leipzig: P. A. Brockhaus, I836 ,

290 291

Harich, Walther. T. A. Hoffmann, Pas Leben einés Künstlers. 2 vols, Berlin: Erich Reiss, 1920,

HeiIborn, Ernst. jE. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Künstler und di e Kunst, Berlin: Verlag U llstein , 1926.

Hewett-Thayer, Harvey W, Hoffmann: Author of the T ales. Princeton; Princeton University Press, 19491

Himmel, Helmuth. "Schuld und SUhne der Scuderi," M ittei1 ungen der JE. T. A. Hoffmann-Gesel 1 schaft (i960).

Hitzig, Julius Eduard, Aus Hoffmann's Leben und Nachlass, 2 vols, Berlin: Ferdinand DUmmler, 1823,

Huch, Ricarda. Die Romantik. Vol, I I , Ausbreitung und Verfall der Romantik, Leipzig: H, Haessel, 1924,

Jaffe, Aniela, "Bilder und Symbole aus E. T, A. Hoffmanns Marchen 'Per Goldne Topf,'" Gestaltungen des Unbewussten. Edited by Carl Gustav Jung, Zurich: Rascher Verlag, 1950,

Klinke, Otto. T. A. Hoffmanns Leben und Werke vom Standpunkte eines Irrenarztes. Halle a. S.: Carl Marhold Verlags- buchhandlung, 1908,

Margis, Paul. T, A. Hoffmann, eine psychographische Individual - analyse, in Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur angewandte Psychologie und psychologische Sammelforschung. Edited by William Stern and Otto Lipmann, Leipzig: Verlag von Johann Ambrosius Barth, 1911.

Maucher, Gisela Maria, "Das Problem der dichterischen Wirklichkeit im Prosawerk von E. T. A. Hoffmann und E. A. Poe." Ph.D. dissertation, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, 1964,

Mayer, Hans, "Die W irklichkeit E. T, A. Hoffmanns," JT. A. Hoffmann: Poetische Werke, Edited by Gerhard Seidel, Vol, I, Berlin: Aufbau-Verlag, 1958.

MUhlher, Robert, "Leitmotiv und dialektischer Mythos in E. T, A, Hoffmanns Marchen 'Per goldne T opf,'" Mittei 1 ungen der _E, JT. A, Hoffmann-GeselIschaft (1938/40), — — —

MUhlher, Robert, "Liebestod und Spiegelmythe in E. T, A, Hoffmanns Marchen 'Der goldne Topf,'" Z e itsc h rift fur deutsche Philologie, LXVII (1942), 292 von MüJ1er, Hans. Die e rste Liebe des Ernst Theodor Hoffmann, Mit ei ni gen Nachrichten liber die Fami 1 ien Schlunck und F lo tt- wel 1, Hatt und Siebrandt nach den Q.uel lèn dargestel I t . Heidelberg: Verlag Lambert Schneider, 1955. von MÜ11er, Hans. Das künstlerische Schaffen _E. T. A. Hoffmanns in Umrissen angedeutet. Leipzig: GeselIschaft der Freunde der Deutschen Bucherei, 1926.

Negus, Kenneth. T. A. Hoffmann's Other World. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1965.

Ochsner, Karl. T. A. Hoffmann als Dichter des Unbewussten. Leipzig: Huber & Co., 1936.

Pirker, Max. "Rezension von Sucher, Les sources du merveilleux chez E. T. A. Hoffmann," Euphorion, Vol. 20 (1913). von Schaukal, Richard. JE. T. A. Hoffmann, Sein Werk aus seinem Leben. Zurich: Amalthea-Verlag, 1923. von Schenck, Ernst. T. A. Hoffmann: Ein Kampf um das BiId des Menschen. Berlin: Verlag die Runde, 1939.

Schmerbach, Hartmut. Stilstudien zu T. A. Hoffmann. Berlin: Verlag von Emil Ebering, 1929.

Schücking, Julius Lothar. "Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann und der deutsche Geist," Mitteilungen der E. T. A. HofFmann- Gesel Ischaft ( 1938/ 39).

Strohschneider-Kohrs, Ingrid. Die romantische Ironie in Théorie und Gestaltung, in Hermaea, Vol. 6 (19éo).

Tymms, Ralph. German Romantic L iteratu re. London: Methuen & Co., 1955.

Werner, Hans-Georg. E. T. A. Hoffmann. D arstel1ung und Deutunq der Wirklichkeit Tm dichterischen Werk. Weimar: Arion Verlag, IW: 293

General Works Relating to this Study

DeVries, Jan. Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte. Vol. I, Berlin, 1956 .

Horst, Georg Conrad. Dainonomagie, oder Geschichte des Glaubens an Zauberei und damoni sche Wunder, mi t besonderer Beruck- sichtigung des Hexenprocesses seit den Zeiten Innocentius des Achten. Nebst einer ausfuhrlichen, nach Inquisitionsacten bearbeiteten Beschreibung des Hexenthurms zu Lindheim in der Wetterau , als ei nes Bei trags zu den alterthumlichen Denk- wlirdi gkei ten in den Grossherzogl ich-Hessischen Landen. 2 vols. Frankfurt am Main; Gebruder Wilmans, 1818.

Langen, August. Deutsche Sprachgeschichte vom Barock bis zur Gegenwart, Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag, n.d.

von Schelling, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph. Schellings Werke. Edited by Manfred Schroter. 12 vols. Oldenbourg: C. H. Beck, 1927.

von Schubert, G. H. Ansichten von der Nachtseite der Naturwissen­ schaft . Dresden: 1803. von Schubert, G. H. Die Symbolik des Traumes. (3d. edition) Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus, 1837.

Stoudt, John Joseph. Sunrise to Eternity. Preface by Paul Tillich. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1957.

Underhill, Evelyn. Mysticism. Cleveland: The World Publishing Co., 1955.

Watson, John. Schelling's Transcendental Idealism. A Critical Exposition. Chicago: S. C. Griggs and Co., 1882.